Gillian Michele Blackman

Peacefully surrounded by family, after a valiant fight against a disease called MELAS, Gillian passed on Monday, March 30, 2026, at age 45, in New York City where she lived.

Beloved daughter of Gerald Blackman, Rhoda Fish and George Wiseman. She leaves to mourn, her adoring aunts Doreen Alrod, Dr. Judi Fish, and Barbara Fish, loving cousins Mitch Alrod and Kendra Conover, Lori Alrod, Lianna Alrod, Jonathan Levitt and Gemma Camara, Daniel Levitt, Jane Waldner, and George’s children, Char Wiseman and Abby Hershler, David Wiseman, Arianna Rabinovitch, and George’s sister & brother-in-law Rosanne and Lewis Olishansky.

She will be sorely missed by her ‘besties’, Isabelle, Melissa, Cara, Mark and Bryan and her many other friends both in New York and internationally.

Gillian was a very beautiful, brilliant, and successful young woman whose giggle we all adored. Her generosity of kindness and love touched everyone she knew.

She was strong and feisty, tenacious, persistent and determined. She taught us all what courage, determination and acceptance look like in the face of daunting challenges. She achieved all that she sought in life: good friends, a wonderful career, and lots of travel, and all was well, until the onset of this incurable and untreatable disease in 2022.

Thanks to the team at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City these past weeks and especially to Dr. Michio Hirano for his excellent care and concern for Gillian over these past years.

Arrangements were entrusted to Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York City. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held in Montreal at a later date.

Contributions in Gillian’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice or to Dr Hirano’s Research Department at Columbia: click here.