Dear Levine and MGB Families,

I was sadden to first learn last month of Bob’s passing. 

While I knew Bob for ~ one year, we connected immediately. I respected his intellect and humanity. We discussed his research and our mutual interest in public health. 

I wish him peace. 

Bob’s memory is a blessing. 

Michael Meyers

Bob was my mentor in MGH and supported financially my fellowship.
I will eternally grateful to him for his generosity.  His impact on my career and life is immeasurable.

Having known Bob for 40 years I had the privilege of watching him evolve.  Bob was a man of many contrasts. He was the only person I know who knew all the lyrics of the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas and could sing them with a bravado that mirrored the famous actors associated with these 19th century comic operas. And then after a hearty laugh he could change course and explain in terms anyone could understand the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. He was guided by his faith and I think this stimulated him to be an educator. I was always impressed at how he was an amazingly devoted son to his parents. He made major contributions to cardiology including but not limited to how we diagnose mitral valve prolapse, how and why obstruction occurs in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and his work laid the foundation for the now common classifications of functional mitral regurgitation.  I think Bob felt that in addition to advancing our understanding of cardiac physiology and pathology it was his mission to train the next generation of physician scientists and he did it with passion and devotion. He attracted trainees from all around the globe and treated them like family. While guiding their work he gave them lots of independence. Like a parent he took pride in their accomplishments. Whenever he gave a lecture he always in bold print on the slides included the names of fellows who contributed to the work he was presenting. And I think his interactions with these trainees helped Bob see the world and learn how to interact in it. I was not one of his trainees but he was always available to help me trouble shoot complex data and he always found a hidden clue in those data sets that I had not appreciated.  He taught people how to think.  It is not hyperbole to say there will never be another Robert Levine. We will all miss his ability to teach us, his infectious smile and overwhelming enthusiasm

It was such a shock hearing about Dr Levine's passing. When i recently saw him, almost 2 weeks before his death, i told him that he was a legend and i was in awe of his work and mentorship. I will always remember him as the very first mentor in had in USA when he welcomed me in Boston in 2012. His impact around the world is tremendous, a wonderful mentor for many and will never forget his kindness and generocity. My sincere condolesces to his family and to his MGH colleagues.

I was deeply saddened to hear of Dr. Bob Levine's passing. Years ago, as an echo fellow at MGH, I had the privilege of learning from Bob firsthand. His understanding of valvular disease was genius-level, and his influence has shaped my entire career in the field . He was remarkably warm and approachable, and his encouragement stayed with me long after fellowship. The field has lost a giant. Bob will be dearly missed.

It is obvious to all that Bob had a huge intellect that inspired everyone who came across him.  At the same time, there was great humanity, warmth and kindness. I am very privileged to have shared my time with him at the MGH Echo lab during the mid-80's.  My sincerest condolences go to his family and loved ones. He will be greatly missed.

Please accept my condolences. We will all miss Bob's collaboration professionally as well as his personal presence. Although we are sad to think of what a great loss this is not only to his family and friends, but to the many future patients who would have benefitted from his ongoing (clinical and research) work, I hope it is some consolation to recall that his legacy will live on not only personally but professionally. Patients will continue to benefit for decades to come from his contributions. Count also on my prayers for him and for all who were close to him.

Dear Levine family and colleagues,

Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of Dr. Robert Levine. It was an immense honor to work alongside him; more than a colleague and partner, Robert was a benchmark of integrity and passion for cardiovascular research.

His honorable character and commitment to excellence left an indelible mark on our work and on all of us who had the privilege of collaborating with him. We shared experiences that I will always treasure as a fundamental part of my professional and personal journey. His legacy will live on in every advancement we achieve for the health of our patients.

I had the privilege and pleasure of learning from Robert for 3 years during my stint at MGH echo lab (1990-1993).  He was one of a kind. Loved and adored by all, even more than he ever knew. His smile is one of his legacies... it expressed a gentleness, sincerity, warmth of heart and a devilishly acute wit! We are all lucky to have known him.

For nearly forty years, our paths crossed in ways that shaped both my professional life and my sense of friendship. You were a colleague whose intellect always pushed me to think harder, and a friend whose laughter made every scientific meeting feel like a reunion. The memories we built,  the spirited debates, the late night conversations, the joyful gatherings with friends from around the world, are woven into the story of my career and my life. Those times are unforgettable, and so are you, Bob. I will always carry gratitude for the privilege of having shared this long journey together

To my dearest mentor, 
Dr. Robert A. Levine,

I am still in shock from the news of your passing, and the sorrow is so deep that I cannot find the right words to express it. When I read the message that you passed away peacefully, my sadness felt a little bit lighter, but honestly, I still cannot fully accept this sudden reality.
I was truly blessed to be mentored by you for four years, starting in 2018. I learned so many things, not only about academics but also about daily life. I still clearly remember how you always gave me such kind advice on everything. Coming from Japan to Boston, living in an unfamiliar place, I am so grateful for how you cared for me and my family during those years.
Even though you were busy with so many projects, you always tried to make time for me. Your ideas were always so fascinating, emerging from your brilliant mind. I always felt that your head was constantly full of new things you wanted to solve. Every time I listened to you, I could not help but wish that you had three or four bodies so that you could put all those wonderful ideas into practice.
I learned so much about research from you, but what impressed me most was your spirit—the way you always challenged yourself with new things. Even when you were extremely busy, you never took shortcuts and always gave your full effort. Remembering your attitude, I am able to do my best in my own work today.
I have some regrets that I could not finish some of our projects because I had to return to Japan and follow the rules of institutions. However, the knowledge and the way of thinking I gained from your guidance have become the foundation of who I am today. Also, the friends and mentors you introduced to me are my treasures.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude. May your memory be a blessing. I pray that the sadness of your family and friends will be eased, even if just a little.

With deepest respect,
One of your students, Yasufumi Nagata
 From Japan

I used to live in the same building as Dr. Levine.  He always greeted me with a smile and took a few minutes to see how everything was going.  

Dr. Levine was extremely knowledgeable on many diverse topics. He was also a great speaker and could clearly explain complex topics.

Once my father came to visit me and he was looking for a synagogue to pray at because the one he went to didn’t have services that Friday.  Dr. Levine saw my dad walking back to our building and invited him to come to his synagogue. My father went along with him and told me later how kind Dr. Levine was. After that, whenever my dad came to visit me, he would join Dr. Levine in going to Friday night services.  Upon hearing of Dr. Levine’s death, my father recalled his kindness and expressed his condolences.

Z’L  Dr. Levine. Your absence will be greatly felt.

C’est une perte pour la communauté
 cardiologique internationale
Robert nous a illumine de son savoir et de ses idées innovantes et révolutionnaires
Son nom restera attache la valve mitrale dont il a  caractérise la géométrie si particulière
 Merci pour ton œuvre qui a marque des générations de cardiologues
Repose en paix
Pr Ariel Cohen
Paris

Bob Levine was a very sweet, sincere, and unique man.  He will me missed at MGH.

It was an honor to know you as a friend and neighbor!

May God comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem) and "Zichrono/Zichrona livracha" 

Tzedeck Zeltzer

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/pinchass-song-written-by-tzedeck-zeltzer/

Bob used to say, "Once at the MGH, always at the MGH." Yet, what resonates even more is that once you were a mentee of Bob Levine, you remained his mentee for life. His profound impact on the field of echocardiography was matched only by his genuine interest in our personal and professional growth.

During my fellowship, Bob shaped my career in ways few could. He taught us to think critically about echocardiography, instilling a foundational understanding that has stayed with us and continues to grow. His eccentricities were endearing, deepening our relationships and making our time with him unforgettable.

The Canadian echo community was fortunate to have welcomed Bob as an invited speaker at our annual meeting last year. We listened to his brilliant lectures, shared insights, and caught up with him, further enriching our experiences.

Bob trained so many of today’s leaders in Canadian echocardiography, too many to name. For those he did not personally mentor, he collaborated with.

Thank you, Bob, for your selflessness and unwavering support. Thank you for your mentorship and for your friendship. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Sorry to hear, one of my mentors at MGH 
My condolences to the family 
Vivian M. Abascal, MD

Dear Bob, 
I barely have a few words. It is really fortunate to have you as a life-long mentor. Thank you a lot!

Yutaka Otsuji
The picture is June 2015. He loved the Thunderbird presented from his father.

The world has lost a wonderfully kind, generous, and compassionate man whose gifts of intellectual curiosity and methodological discipline were matched only by his devoted mentorship of countless individuals and dedication to his faith. He will be truly missed across our communities.

This video was taken when Bob and I visited the local Chabad house during the LeDucq MVP meeting in Nantes, France (2010). Bob was an outstanding scientist who made major contributions to our understanding of heart valve biology. He was also a remarkable mentor to many cardiologists and researchers around the world. Above all, he was a kind, generous, and caring person. To many of us, he was not only a mentor, but also a true friend. He stayed in close contact and continued to collaborate with his fellows, supporting and nurturing our success even long after we had left Boston. He leaves behind a very big gap and will be deeply missed.

Bob has been a constant and enthusiastic inspiration, friend and support since I first worked with him at the CFM Lab at Georgia Tech in 1997.

Heartfelt sympathy to the family of Dr. Levine. He was so kind and treated everyone with great respect. It was a pleasure to work with him at MGH.

Dr Levine was one of my research advisers when I was doing my PhD at GaTech in 1990. I remember spending long hours in the lab with him. He was passionate, enthusiastic, and full of kindness. May he rest in peace.

I have fond memories of Robert Levine as a fine gentleman. He possessed rare qualities I considered admirable, which I still wish to emulate. May his memory be a blessing.

Canadian Society of Echocardiography, Toronto, Canada May 1-2, 2025 

Remembering Dr. Bob Levine - always bringing people together through passion for excellence in cardiovascular education.

Dear Bob, 
I will never forget the countless moments we spent working together, and I will forever cherish the memory of your extraordinary achievements.  RIP. 
L. Jiang

Dr Levine was an extraordinary man. A gifted teacher and brilliant clinician-scientist who moved the needle of cardiovascular care and trained countless echocardiography specialists around the world. It was an honour and pleasure to have known him and have been mentored by him. He was a kind, gentle and thoughtful man who uplifted all around him. I learnt so much from him. He will be dearly missed. Thoughts and best wishes to his loved ones at this most difficult time. 

Associate Professor Mayooran Namasivayam 
Sydney, Australia

The world has lost another wonderful teacher, mentor and human being.  No matter how long we would struggle to get images on a technically limited echo, and how bad we felt about the poor quality of the exam, Bob always displayed enthusiasm and found helpful information from our limited scans so we Sonographers never felt our endeavers were without  value.  I was privileged to learn from and work with Bob for 6.5 years, and continued with an Echo career I 
could not have imagined when I first came to MGH.   Rest in Peace, Dr. Levine.

Dr. Levine was an incredible mind in cardiovascular research, but to those of us lucky enough to know him, his true legacy is the people he inspired. I am so grateful to be one of the many students deeply moved by his brilliance, kindness, and passion for medicine.

This photo captures a memory I will always cherish, the day we met in person. Even though our time working together was cut tragically short, the passion he sparked in me for cardiology will stay with me forever. He didn’t just teach us to be better researchers, he taught us to look at medicine with real curiosity and hope. Dr. Levine will be deeply missed, but his spirit will live on in all the students he guided.

With deepest sympathy, 

Eduardo Vallejo 
UFMG medical student
Brazil

Bob Levine was a remarkable human being; I was fortunate to know him and to interact with him on many occasions. I remember, clearly, the 8th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), held in Orlando FL. Bob was the Program Chair and I was concluding my two-year term as the ASE President. Bob was responsible for inviting and looking after the excellent faculty, but the two most important people he included were his mother and father! I remember watching them kvell [a Yiddish term that means "to beam with intense pride and joy"] over their son. Bob had lots of responsibilities and was able ... as usual ... to do many things well, at once, but he paid particular attention to his parents. The kvelling went both ways!

As others have noted, Bob was brilliant, a superb teacher able to explain complex topics in clear and simple terms. Echocardiography, and cardiovascular medicine, and our patients, have been the beneficiaries of his work. Perhaps more importantly, from my perspective, is Bob's modesty. In an era when self-promotion is common, and where some judge their worth based on how many online "followers" they have, Bob did not tell others how smart and accomplished he was. He simply demonstrated this by the way he lived. He was a gracious human being.

Bob was a true mensch, and I will miss him. May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration.

Alan S. Pearlman MD, FASE
Seattle

Dear Dr. Robert Levine,

It was truly an honor to meet you last year and to have the opportunity to organize the PRIMA study meeting in Brazil. Those were remarkable days, filled with meaningful exchanges and unforgettable moments that I will always carry with me.

I am deeply grateful for the experience and for the chance to work alongside such an inspiring leader and researcher.

With great respect, I keep you in my thoughts and prayers. May your memory be a blessing.

Thank you for everything.

Warm regards,
Edleusa Lima

On behalf of the LABIC research group in Brazil, we express our sincere condolences on the loss of Dr. Levine. We are grateful for the opportunity to have collaborated with him and to have benefited from his insight, wisdom, and dedication to scientific excellence.

His legacy will remain present in the knowledge he shared. May his memory be a blessing to his family, colleagues, and all those whose lives he touched.

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Levine last year during the Listen to My Heart event, affiliated with the PRIMA project, in Brazil. Dr. Levine was undoubtedly a brilliant man, endowed with unparalleled curiosity and spirit, always willing to teach and mentor the students who sought his guidance. He will be remembered for his dedication, commitment, and enthusiastic spirit toward medicine and cardiology. We have undoubtedly lost a brilliant physician and a great mentor. May we, the future generation of professionals, carry his teachings forward in our daily practice.

Bob was the scientific mentor we should all aspire to be: curious, passionate, engaging, generous. He shaped my career in ways no one else was able to do. He cared about his mentees almost as if they were family. Most of us were from abroad, starting in a unfamiliar country, intimidated by the prestige of MGH. He made us feel welcome, constantly valued our ideas and work, and influenced us deeply. Bob was truly special and will always be in my heart.

I had the opportunity to meet Dr.Levine in Brazil last year through the PRIMA project. A curious gentleman, dedicated to science. At the group's celebration event, he was with everyone present, meeting, listening and showing interest and affection. It was an honor to be able to work under your leadership. May your legacy remain, we will stay here, continuing the project for you!

Dear friends,

This very sad news came as a true earthquake to me. I have known Robert since 1998, and we never lost touch.

As a fellow at MGH, I had the privilege of learning echocardiography from him during memorable reading sessions, day and night. He elevated echocardiography to an extremely sophisticated physiologic tool for understanding and treating heart disease. He was an outstanding teacher, mentor, and person. He did not simply teach from his chair—he gave you the tools to become an independent researcher and physician and at your turn a teacher.

He was also a remarkable writer, mastering the English language and playing with words and intonation during his exceptional scientific presentations, with an unequaled didactic skill. He would spend hours refining a figure or diagram to ensure it conveyed exactly the right message.

Born and raised in New York, he was also a true Bostonian, with the curiosity and ingenuity that characterize that city. He had an exceptionally open mind toward all people and cultures.

His legacy as an extraordinary mentor, physician, and researcher is already alive in the many fellows who have gone on to become leaders in cardiology around the world, maintaining a strong and lasting connection to the MGH echo lab family and to their mentor.

On a personal level, as mentioned in the MGH obituary, we shared a deep connection to Orthodox Jewish faith. He was a true friend, joining us for holidays and Shabbat at my home in Boston and later in Paris, sharing our joys—weddings and bar mitzvahs—and our sorrows, He was truly part of our family. All members of the Messas family—uncles, aunts, and cousins—knew and loved him, and deeply appreciated his intelligence, kindness, and profound knowledge of Jewish tradition.

His outstanding intellect, his smile, his kindness, and his love for all humanity will be deeply missed by me and my entire family.

May his memory be a blessing for all of of us.

Best regards
Emmanuel Messas

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Prof. Robert Levine. It was a great honour to work under his leadership in the PRIMA Study. He truly believed in me and in the entire Tanzania team, and his encouragement inspired us greatly. We will deeply miss his guidance, enthusiasm, and unwavering passion for advancing the field of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. My sincere condolences to his family and colleagues during this difficult time.

Fond reminiscences of a very  sweet person; 
May his memory be blessed.

Rob was also an active member in many of our School's Clubs:  
Chess, Science, Cantorial Club (he was also a Megillah reader). Talmud, Service Squad, Bowl team, Senior Ateret, Service Squad and was on the Staff of the Pioneer Year Book.

2007 Leducq meeting in Paris-FR : Bob with... Dan Gilon, Emmanuel Messas,  Dan Judge, Chip Norris,  Sue Slaugenhaupt, Alain Carpentier, Magdi Yacoub, and Albert Hagège..

Mark Handschumacher, Robert Levine, Luis Guererro - the amazing collaborators who contributed so much as a team to the scientific community

Young Bob Levine at Parade with his family

Even early on, it was obvious that Robert was operating on a different level. There was a clarity and depth to the way he understood things that set him apart, and you could tell he was going to leave a real mark.

His work on the mitral valve truly changed the way we look at it. He didn’t just add knowledge; he reframed the way people think about the anatomy and function, and that impact is felt everywhere. At the same time, he was an exceptional teacher. He mentored and tutored so many people, always with patience, clarity, and a genuine desire to help others understand. People didn’t just learn from him, they felt supported by him.

He carried all of that knowledge without ego. He treated people with respect, with patience, with a kind of steady kindness that never depended on who you were or what you knew. There was nothing performative about it just a genuine decency that stayed consistent.

He loved learning Torah, and it showed. Not in words, but in how he lived, thoughtful, grounded, and serious about what matters. And he also loved music, which somehow fitsthere was something harmonious in the way he thought and moved through the world.

It’s rare to see someone reach that level of professional greatness and remain, at the same time, such a true mensch.

That’s how he will be remembered.

May his memory be a blessing.

I lived in the same condo complex as Robert. He was always such a pleasure to run into and always made me feel that he was happy to see me. He always said "Debra...Hello!. He was such a a kind man and, although I did not know him well, I know he was committed to family, friends, work, the condo community, and his religious community.

MGH Echo conference -Judy Hung, Arthur E Weyman, Jane Marshall, guest speaker Leng Jiang, Robert Levine - photo provided by Leng Jiang

Vintage MGH Echo Lab Photo provided by Leng Jiang

A meaningful moment with Dr. Levine and a family whose child was diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever. He was devoted to improving the lives of children affected by this disease.

Dr. Levine at a cardiology meeting in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where many cardiologists gathered to hear his inspiring lecture. He also gave an interview about the PRIMA project, aimed at identifying biomarkers for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever. A brilliant scientist whose legacy we will always cherish.

Scientists, fellows, students… sharing this lovely memory of Dr Levine’s visit to Brazil in July 2025.

Dr Levine with the Leducq-PRIMA network members (all of us) at the Federal University os Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  Our gratitude to Dr Levine for bringing us together and leading us in this project.

Dr Levine with the Leducq-PRIMA network members (clinical science) at the Federal University os Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Dr Levine with the Leducq-PRIMA network members (basic science) at the Federal University os Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

OBITUARY

Dr. Robert A. Levine

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