25 November 2003
Dave Rietz, webmaster of www.dorway.com has passed away (aspartame): A moment of silence and prayer for a great man and humanitarian
I find it very difficult to write this note, with eyes full of tears. I met Dave many years ago when he was on the Internet searching for the cause of his suffering. He found the FDA report of 92 symptoms on aspartame and realized this was what was killing him. He was suffering from such severe joint pain that he had actually built a room on to his home to house a Jacuzzi because he said it was so painful to walk, it was easier to stay in water. Off aspartame all joint pain disappeared as did many of his other problems.
But Dave had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and he knew it was from aspartame. Even Dr. George Schwartz had written a paper in Western Journal about it. But back then, other than the cancer, all the main symptoms he suffered from disappeared when he abstained from aspartame. He said to me: "I'm setting up www.dorway.com - DORway to Discovery, to give back to the Internet what the Internet gave back to me - my life." DORway has always housed the Mission Possible records. Even though I told him, I doubt he ever really realized just how many thousands of lives were saved by his efforts.
Some years ago Robert Cohen had an exhibit here in Atlanta, a conference on emerging diseases, partially sponsored by the CDC. The day before the global press met so I decided to join them and give out information. I was shocked that so many press even from other countries all said they were already knowledgeable of DORway and checked it often. The same thing happened when I attended Cable l998, (the movers and shakers) here in Atlanta, press from everywhere said they always checked out DORway to keep up with what was going on with aspartame. While representatives of even CNN and Headline News made comments about checking www.dorway.com they didn't publish, but they knew the truth about aspartame, and forwarded the information to their friends.
Dave Rietz "lived" to save lives from aspartame. He was always so happy when hits were going wild because he knew more and more people were finding out, and getting off the toxin. When I returned from lecturing in England he said "What happened on the 8th?" I answered, "Felicity and I blitzed England". Hits were wild. Likewise, when my mother-in-law died a couple of years ago he asked, "What happened on the 18th, hits are unbelievable?" I explained that Lil had died and she was such a fine woman, I wanted to do some good in her name. So I saturated the hospitals and medical buildings with flyers, knowing it would save a lot of lives. Maybe we can likewise do something in Dave's name.
Dave was one of the kindest men I've ever known. He worked without stopping for years helping to saturate the globe with education to save the consumer public from suffering what he had suffered. He also helped Robert Cohen in the www.notmilk.com movement. He used every dollar he had in the anti-aspartame movement. He told me only about a month ago how low he had gotten in funds.
He kept thinking he could hang on but every time I tried to call him lately I only got a recording. I couldn't imagine losing him but I felt the worst was coming.
We know we'll see him again someday, for it says in Acts 24:15 ....."there is going to be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous". Dave will come back young again, free of disease and suffering, to a world free of the wicked who brought this plague upon us, and free of the poison that in the end took his life. We pray to Almighty Jehovah God that he will bless and sustain his family and keep Dave in his memory and Book of Life.
I couldn't say it better than Robert Cohen: "The Internet health monuments that Dave crafted will live on forever." He did exactly what he said, he gave back to the Internet, but a million times over. Even his last email to me was to help a man with lupus. And if you're a victim reading this whose life was saved by www.dorway.com be sure to drop a note of sympathy to his dear and loving wife, Isabel Rietz and tell her so. (122 Foxborough Road, Goose Creek, SC 29445). Right now there may be many people around her but then there will be a void for he was her everything for 43 long years.
Goodbye my friend. You do not die when you live in the hearts of those you leave behind.
Betty Martini, Founder, Mission Possible International