Bruce Ruderman, D.C. | Professional Biography
Growing up in our neighborhood in the Bronx in the early 60’s was a mixed bag of experiences, but the tide was quickly turning for the worse. At age 9, I moved with my family to Monsey, New York where I lived out my youth and developed many of my lifelong friendships. One of our friends had a sign in front of his house that read “Dr. I. Frimmerman, Chiropractor”. That was the first time I had ever heard of chiropractic. My grandmother used to tell me I had a cousin who was a chiropractor to the dancers on Broadway in the 1950’s and 60’s. She told me he was blind, but watching him work, you would never know it. I later found out from colleagues who knew him, that my cousin, Lionel Kenmore, was in fact a very famous and highly regarded chiropractor who specialized in dancers’ injuries, was well known on Broadway, and was, indeed, blind.
I was a senior at SUNY Binghamton when I had my first personal experience with chiropractic. I was riding my motorcycle to class and was running a bit late. On a long straight length of road I headed out a bit too fast and quickly found myself on the right side of a tractor-trailer making a right turn from the left lane. The crash destroyed the bike and I was thrown about 30 feet across a parking lot. Thankfully, I stood up and soon realized that thanks to divine providence, and proper riding apparel, I didn’t have a scratch on me.
It was about two days later that the true nature of my injuries manifested. I woke up in my dorm room unable to move. I mean, it hurt to breathe. My roommate called Harpur’s Ferry, the campus ambulance, and I was taken to Binghamton General Hospital. I spent two days there while tests were run and drugs were administered to which I had barely a response.
The next week I went home for the summer, still in a lot of pain and barely able to put my luggage in the car. One of my friends suggested I call our friend Larry’s dad, you know, Doc Frimmerman.
Doc and I talked a little when I got to his office. Reminisced about years passed and how fortunate I was to be able to walk into his office at all. He told me to lay on his table and relax as he walked around to the other side, set up on my head and twisted. Knowing kind of what to expect I was pleasantly surprised that not only did it not hurt me, but I immediately felt relief for the first time in weeks. He said I’d need another treatment in two days and I’d be fine. He was right.
Four years later, living in Miami Beach, I pulled my low back at work and went out on disability for six months. It was then that my mother called and said her chiropractor wanted to talk to me. I went up to New York a few weeks later and met with Dr. Grossman on a Wednesday afternoon. He talked to me about the theory and practice of chiropractic and the benefits of a life devoted to helping people. He then proceeded to give me the adjustment that would change my life. I was 24 years old and living in constant discomfort, but in a matter of minutes I felt as if I could take on the world. The decision was quickly made. On my way back to Florida, I stopped in Atlanta and registered at Life Chiropractic College.
During my final year at Life Chiropractic College, I met my beautiful, brilliant wife, Annemarie, in Atlanta while she was working on her PhD thesis at the Centers for Disease Control. It was truly a love at first sight story. After a short stint teaching at Einstein Medical College, she has been Professor of Cell Molecular Biology at Manhattanville College for 27 years. Our Daughter, Amanda, is 21 and graduating from Manhattanville College Summa Cum Laude and President of the student government. She is pursuing her dream to work in media at The Knot magazine in NYC. Our son Lucas, 15, is a sophomore at Nyack High School, where he maintains a straight A average and has been the lead or featured in many school and local theater productions. He has also acted in a number of commercials and short films and has won recognition for short films he has directed.
The last thirty years of my life have been devoted to my family and to helping people. And yes, I still ride motorcycles.
It has indeed been, and continues to be, a life well spent.