Meet Audrey Gruss of Hope for Depression Research Foundation

Audrey Gruss is striving to right a wrong, one that involved her mother, Hope Butvay. She wants to give back to others what was stolen from her mother — her life. Gruss’ mother suffered from depression her entire adult life. Gruss and her two sisters grew up with a mom who couldn’t always care for herself — or them.

“Depression is so prevalent, that it’s like the common cold of mental illness,” explains Gruss, of why so little effort was put into understanding depression. “It needed more research, more new medications. Not everyone responded well to the medication of the time, which was Prozac. There was minimal research on depression. No place for many to turn.”

“I watched my father take good care of her and it affected me deeply, ” Gruss says of her mother, who eventually was moved to assisted living. “In neuroscience research, the tradition is that scientists are very protective of their data and everyone works in silos. We broke the mold with our Depression Task Force, where researchers actually collaborate with each other.”

Gruss, who says her dream was to create a think tank that would foster that collaboration, is the founder and chair of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (hopefordepression.org), named after in honor of her mother Hope.

“Essential brain research has been our main focus for the last nineteen years,” says Gruss, who lives in Southampton and Palm Beach. “We’ve also worked to decrease the stigma of mental illness and increase awareness. People with mental illness have lived too long in the shadows.”

Ten years ago, she started the Race of Hope to both raise funds and increase awareness.

“It was rainy and dismal,” Gruss says with a laugh of that first race. “Only three hundred people total were there, but we persevered. Last year, we had over a thousand runners and raised half a million dollars. The town of Southampton has been phenomenal. Before the race, many village stores put up all these yellow flags, which are the symbol of the race. It is so heartwarming.”

The flags also remind her of her life’s work.

“When my mother felt good, it was wonderful. We’d be so happy to have her feeling well,” Gruss says. “I remember asking my father what was wrong with Mommy. He’d say, ‘She’s having a nervous breakdown.’ He’d tell us to be strong, to and to take care of each other. Her nature was to be sweet and giving.Eventually, my parents separated, and my mom moved into assisted living. Depression stole her life, our lives.”

While her mother died relatively young at 84 years old, her father lived until 94 and was an equestrian until age 90.

“We were all very supportive of our dad,” Gruss says. “He did the best he could with our mom. We’d ask him what she was like when they first married. He said she was very much a part of the community, sweet and supportive. She had her first breakdown in her early thirties.”

Gruss says that attitudes have come a long way since her mother’s time. People are more understanding and more likely to believe it is OK to ask for help.

“Mental health is medical health,” Gruss says. “Now, we have celebrities willing to talk about their mental health. Each year, we have a lunch at The Plaza in New York City in November. We have celebrities come and talk about their struggles with mental illness, theirs or someone close to them.”

Gruss, who has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tufts University and was studying to be a doctor, says that one of the reasons she has been able to do all the things she has for the foundation is because of her husband, Martin Gruss. “He said, ‘Go for it. I will support you,” says Gruss.

Gruss often thinks back to that first rainy race with a smile, especially when she thinks about the 10th annual race, which was run Aug. 3 on the streets of Southampton and brought out 1,100 men, women and children and raised more than $500,000. The celebrity Grand Marshal was Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of musician Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley.

Joel, who said she has struggled with depression her entire life, praised the runners for coming out to support the foundation.

Joel said: “As someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety my whole life, sometimes the hardest part is just to show up. Thank you for showing up today and giving us all something to hope for.”

First-place male and female runners were Jordan Daniel and Jenny Grimshaw. The top team fundraiser was Shelly Bergman’s team, which raised $50,878. Second place went to Team Dopo Argento with $9,425, and Team Michelle Farmer with $6,515 was third. The top individual fundraiser was Kim Heirston with $16,800. The team with the most members was Le Bilboquet with 64 members.

Since its inception in 2006, HDRF has adhered to its mission to spur the most innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders — bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder and suicide. The foundation has provided more than $85 million for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented. HDRF is now embarking on a series of pilot clinical trials to “translate” the molecular information it has discovered in the laboratory into real solutions for people living with depression.

Gruss is president of The Audrey and Martin Gruss Foundation, which she and Martin established over 30 years ago to support a wide range of charitable activities. Just a few of her long list of charitable endeavors include Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, The New York Botanical Garden and Lincoln Center Theater. Her very long list of philanthropic accomplishments includes local, national and international endeavors.

“We are on the cusp of making great breakthroughs,” Gruss said of HDRF. “In addition to research, we have been on the front line of changing people’s perception of mental illness. Depression affects almost a third of Americans, no matter what age, gender, education or socioeconomic level. This race marks ten years of raising awareness and supporting our lifesaving research.”

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.