I met Dr. Gilcher when I hired him to be an expert for a client of mine. I’ve worked with many doctors over the years on cases, and many of them have been gifted and kind, but Ron was truly special. He was never in it for the money, although he earned his fees and then some. He cared about doing what was right for the patient who was injured. He cared about making sure the arguments had medical integrity. He cared about teaching — not just me, but also the defense lawyers who attacked his opinions, and he did so with class. He had a kind and gentle soul. He was honest. We spent hours on the phone and hours in meetings preparing for his deposition and writing his opinions, and he never lost patience with me even when I was lagging behind his big brain.
This man was a gift to the world — co-inventor of the cell saver which has saved countless lives, and he gave testimony before Congress when the AIDS epidemic threatened the safety of our blood supply. He really changed history in ways we all take for granted and many don’t even realize. And he was kind. And humble. And brilliant — and most of all, he was so proud of his family, Firuza and Jordan. Whenever he spoke of them or showed me their pictures, he did it with a smile that beamed so big I could even hear it over the phone. I wish we had been able to work together more than just this one case. He will be greatly missed.
Jennifer Keel
