Bill Moyers died in a NYC hospital on Thursday, June 26th. The Times got a fantastic piece out about him almost immediately. It discusses his role as President Johnson’s Press Secretary and public television journalist. He won over 30 Emmys (the current American President won zero).

It didn’t mention how he helped design the Peace Corps or get very much into his investigative journalism on the US Government. It only briefly mentioned his then wildly famous six-part interview with Joseph Campbell.

Still, it’s a great obituary and captures much of the man, at least as a professional. I long admired him and finally got to meet him when he was 81. He wasn’t diminished at all.

We met at a dinner party in NYC for Hazelden Betty Ford Board members in the winter of 2016. When my mother learned that Bill Moyers and Judy Collins would be there, she had me email the host to see if I could bring her along.

There were about thirty people at the event, and my mother somehow managed to sit right next to Bill at dinner. I had been hoping to ask him all about President Johnson and Dr. King and Robert Caro, but, alas, I only was able to exchange a few words about the 36th President with him.

Bill asked my Mom about where she grew up (Minnesota) and what she did (English teacher) and then peppered her with specific questions about the Midwest and the teaching profession. While I watched and listened, I figuratively prayed that she wouldn’t talk about how her sister killed my grandmother (a real dinner party downer). She didn’t; at least I don’t remember her talking about them.

On the drive back to New Jersey, I told her that we (well, she) missed a great opportunity to talk to one of the most connected American men of the second half of the 20th century. “He wanted to ask me questions,” she retorted. “He was very curious.”

That perfectly described Bill Moyers. Despite being the most interesting person at a pretty interesting dinner party, he interviewed my Mom. It made her feel special. And he learned a little bit more about Minnesota and public education.

Bill and I would talk a few more times over the next couple of years. I gave him some Cuban cigars. My Mom bought their dining room table when they sold their New Jersey home and gave it to me as a present. The table is notable because President Johnson, Maya Angelou, Hubert Humphries and a few dozen other true luminaries dined on it.

In the fall of 2017, I interviewed Bill and Judith and their son William at an event at Rutgers on addiction and family and public policy. William had a very public problem with drugs in the late 80s and early 90s and eventually got sober in 1994. Bill and Judith learned about addiction and became powerful advocates for treatment. Near the end of the interview, Nancy, their granddaughter, joined us on stage and talked about her own recovery as well. It was quite the moving scene.

A few days after the event, William posted this photo and wrote:

This is probably the last time my parents will take the stage to help me carry the messages of hope and healing that are the essence of my advocacy work at Hazelden Betty Ford. Judith and Bill have always walked the walk with me from the moment I hit bottom in 1989 (the first time) through the successes of my professional endeavors and through the lowest of personal lows of my human imperfections. In 28 years never have they wavered. And so here we are, one more time, last Friday at Rutgers sharing our family’s experience, strength and hope so that other families like ours can know that they are not alone and that recovery from addiction or mental illness is indeed possible.

We had lunch after the event. I told him about Ayad Akhtar’s “Junk” and urged him to see it at the Lincoln Center. “You must see it. If you don’t like it, I’ll pay for the ticket.”

He saw it twice and loved it. He thanked me via email. I passed that along to Ayad (whom I had just met when my father recognized him in the lobby after we had seen “Junk”). Ayad emailed Bill back.

From that, came this interview, the last of Bill’s astounding career.

Bill Moyers. Husband. Father. Presidential Aide. 30+ time Emmy Winner. Journalist. Advocate. Interviewer. Public Servant. Recovery Advocate.

Brilliant. Hard working. Charming. Generous. Circumspect. Principled.

And he made my Mom feel special.

What a life.

Thanks, Bill.