Zachary Fisher

Zachary Fisher (September 26, 1910 - June 4, 1999) was a Jewish American philanthropist who is notable for his charity work toward members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. He has constructed several Fisher Houses, placed near Veterans Administrations hospitals, that host families of admitted service members that cannot afford temporary lodging while visiting.

In 1998 Bill Clinton awarded Zachary Fisher the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In 1999 the U.S. Senate introduced a bill that would confer upon Fisher the status of honorary veteran of the Armed Forces. Fisher attempted to enlist in the military during World War II but was disqualified due to a preexisting medical condition. The bill did not pass and to this day only Bob Hope holds such status.

In 1995, after the diagnosis that his wife, Elizabeth, had Alzheimer's disease Zachary Fisher joined David Rockefeller to create the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research at Rockefeller University. The lab is headed by Nobel Laureate Dr. Paul Greengard. Among Fisher's many charitable organizations, he created the Alzheimer's Research Foundation to create awareness of the disease and raise support to find a cure. The Foundation is headquartered at Pier 86 on the USS Intrepid in New York City.

External links

* [http://www.wa3key.com/fisher.html A collection of obituaries and tributes at www.wa3key.com]
* [http://icreport.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:S.J.RES.24.IS: Text of Senate bill proposing honorary veteran status upon Zachary Fisher]
* [http://www.armyfisherhouses.org/ http://www.armyfisherhouses.org]
* [http://www.hood-meddac.army.mil/default.asp?page=fisher_found&vi=n&mnu=0 http://www.hood-meddac.army.mil/default.asp?page=fisher_found&vi=n&mnu=0]
* [http://www.academyofachievement.org/honorees/zachary_fisher.htm Zachary Fisher at www.academyofachievement.org]
* [http://www.horatioalger.org/members/member_info.cfm?memberid=fis90 http://www.horatioalger.org/members/member_info.cfm?memberid=fis90]
* [http://www.wramc.army.mil/fisher/about.htm http://www.wramc.army.mil/fisher/about.htm]