Dr. Locatelli, Husman, and Dr. Moon
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA – David Husman, founder and chairman of Heartland Real Estate Partners, has made a $20-million bequest to Nova Southeastern University to provide funding for ALS research through the establishment of NSU Health’s David and Cathy Husman Neuroscience Institute, its Cathy J. Husman ALS Center, and the David and Cathy Husman Endowed Chair for Neuroscience.
The gift, which brings Husman’s total giving to more than $41 million, is the second-largest individual donation in NSU history and the largest investment in NSU research.
“What makes a gift of this size so transformational is its impact across all aspects of our mission to advance education, research, and patient care,” said NSU President and CEO Dr. Harry K. Moon. “First and foremost, this funding will improve treatments, foster breakthroughs and elevate the quality of life for ALS patients and families. It also will help us attract and sustain talented health care providers and innovators here in Florida, allowing us to better educate future caregivers in the ALS arena as we make our patient care facilities some of the world’s very best.”
Born and raised in Chicago, David Husman, J.D., has more than 65 years of real estate, banking, and principal investing experience. He lost his wife, Cathy, to ALS in 2023. ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – is a progressive, fatal neurological disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing.
“People say Cathy was a beautiful woman, but looking inside was her strong suit,” Husman said. “She did things for other people, not for her. She was the one for me and we had a wonderful marriage for 25 years. In my estimation, the most devastating and horrible disease is ALS. The motivation behind my gift is to try and rid the world of one of the worst plagues that affects mankind.”
When Cathy Husman was battling ALS and had sought treatment from many national sources, she suggested to her husband that they see Florida-based leading neurologist Dr. Eduardo Locatelli at NSU Health’s neuroscience institute and ALS center.
“This is a very difficult condition – very complex,” said Dr. Locatelli, co-director of NSU Health’s Cathy J. Husman ALS Center and founding director and endowed chair of NSU Health’s David and Cathy Husman Neuroscience Institute. “It requires assembling a world-class team to deliver the care these patients need with quality and compassion. NSU gave us the opportunity to put that all together. When you have a gift of this magnitude—or any gift—it’s important that the gift creates tangible improvements and change for the patient and family.”
The level of support ALS researchers have received at NSU has been a game-changer, said Assistant Professor Lauren Tabor-Gray, co-director of the Cathy J. Husman ALS Center and David and Cathy Husman Neuroscience Institute.
“NSU Health gave us a facility and resources to carry out the ultimate vision, which was to have a place to provide clinical care, research, and education under one roof with the best team of providers,” she said. “That’s what really motivates us as a team and as patients come to see us because they not only have a chance to be with a skilled team of providers, but also have access to programs and to participate in state-of-the-art treatment and research efforts.”
Husman’s support of NSU began with a $10-million donation in October 2023 to support and name the neuroscience institute, the ALS center, and a new endowed professorship. In late 2024, he donated a $5-million Asian and European sculptures collection and a $5-million collection of original works from the late photographer Marc Hauser. His latest $20-million bequest brings his giving total to more than $41 million.
This gift also completed NSU’s fundraising Campaign to Preeminence, which has generated more than $500 million in philanthropic support to the university over the past 15 years.
As a certified ALS Association Treatment center of excellence, NSU Health’s Cathy J. Husman ALS Center has engaged a team of more than a dozen ALS specialists, providing care to more than 150 patients from across the country.
As NSU has grown as a destination for ALS research and care, so has its need for space. Supported by NSU Health and benefactors like the Husmans, construction is nearly complete on a state-of-the-art, 7,500-square-foot research and patient care facility. Opening in early 2025, the new facility will be a world-class destination for ALS research and care in South Florida, featuring specialized diagnostic areas, rehabilitation spaces, expansive clinical rooms, and a family consultation suite.
“With Mr. Husman’s support, our vision for what’s possible is becoming a reality. When you have an angel come in with this grace and generosity, it’s a truly life-changing opportunity,” Tabor-Gray said. “It says a lot for hope for someone who has been through the tragedy of losing their loved one to then donate in such a profound way, expressing how meaningful this work will be for patients and their loved ones.”
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