Leona Helmsley Leaves $12M to Her Dog
Some may refer to Leona Helmsley as the 'Queen of Mean', but I think her dog would disagree. Helmsley died last week at the age of 87 and on Tuesday her will was made public. In it, she provided quite nicely for her dog Trouble, creating a $12 million trust to ensure that the Maltese lives out the rest of her life in the luxury she is no doubt accustomed to. The trust will be overseen by her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, to whom she left $10 million. When Trouble's days on earth are over, she is to be buried next to her mistress in the $1.4 million mausoleum in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, New York. Talk about a pampered pooch.She was less generous to her late son Jay Panzirer's children, cutting Craig and Meegan Panzire out completely for "reasons which are known to them" and leaving a relatively paltry $5 million each to David and Walter Panzirer. But even that generosity comes with a catch. In order to receive the money, David and Walter must visit their father's grave once a year, "preferably on the anniversary of my said son's death." In order to ensure they abide by that stipulation, she has ordered a guest book installed at the Helmsley Mausoleum.
Lest you think she's all bad, it is important to note that she did leave billions to various unnamed charities.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Animal Chaplain Nancy Aug 30th 2007 1:12PM
Leona Helmsley's will left 12 million dollars to her canine companion. I completely understand how Leona Helmsley adored her dog - many of us love ours deeply, too. I just wish she would have shown her love for all dogs, or even all animals, and not just her own particular dog. Imagine how many pets could have been spayed and neutered for that amount of money, or how many dogs could have been saved from the evils of dogfighting. Her little shih tzu will not know the difference between a diamond-encrusted collar, and one bought from Target. I hope the brother she appointed to be her dog's caretaker, will keep other animals in mind as well. What is good for the animal kingdom, is good for one cute little spoiled pooch.
Nancy J. Cronk
Founder, Chair and Chaplain
Interfaith Association of Animal Chaplains
www.AnimalChaplains.com
Eric Aug 30th 2007 5:50PM
Are you even remotely serious Nancy?
Spay and neutered with a $12 million dollar donation?
That's for your first priority? To ear mark $12 million for spaying and neutering? Do you want to revise that statement?
Interfaith Association of Animal Chaplains?
You're more messed up than this old bag was!
There are starving people all over the world that you could feed a million of them for a year with that money... and you think of the maybe, what hundreds or so animals die in dog fights?
We've really reached this point in humanity when people think of household pets before human life?
Billiam Aug 30th 2007 10:28PM
Trouble, Leona's Helmsley's dog has written a letter to the house staff concerning her windfall (posted on Animal Internet)
http://www.animal-internet.com/Content/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=872
Cynthia Sep 5th 2007 12:57PM
By the way the brother does not want to care for Poor little Trouble, but there are many people out there that would be happy to share their home with that little pooch, I am sure my cats would love to have a new playmate. And if I was chosen to be his "companion" I would happily donate what he does not need to an animal based charity!
Cindy
Kelly Sep 6th 2007 3:07PM
I feel sorry for Trouble. He has feelings to. He is feeling real sad. Here is a poem for Trouble.
I Stood By Your Bed
I STOOD BY YOUR BED
I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea, you were thinking of the many times your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, your arms were getting sore. I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today, you tend it with such care. I want to reassure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key. I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me to be so near you every day.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew ... in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "goodnight, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see. Be patient, live your journey out ... then come home to be with me.
nate Sep 8th 2007 6:12AM
I wish she left me with the dog i'll take care of him.
http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2438293-10454714