Conan O'Brien Honors Late Parents Who Passed Away Three Days Apart

The comedian reflects on the impactful lives of his father, a pioneering epidemiologist, and his mother, a trailblazing lawyer.

Dr. Thomas O'Brien, a Harvard professor and expert in antimicrobial resistance, passed away on December 9 at age 95, followed by his wife Ruth Reardon O'Brien, a groundbreaking lawyer, on December 12 at age 92.
The couple, married for 66 years, were remembered by their son as 'kindred spirits' who shared a deep commitment to hard work and discipline.
Conan O'Brien credited his father with inspiring his love for travel, recalling a formative trip to South America during his childhood.
Ruth O'Brien, the second woman to become a partner at Ropes & Gray law firm, was described as 'heroic' for balancing her legal career with raising six children.
A funeral mass for the couple was held on December 18 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, celebrating their lasting legacy of compassion and service.