Stephanie madoff mack biography examples

1. Biography of Stephanie Madoff Mack
2. Marriage and Scandal
3. The End of Normal
4. A Tragic Loss

Biography of Stephanie Madoff Mack

Stephanie Madoff Mack is the widow of Mark Madoff, the mother of their two children, and the daughter-in-law of Bernard Madoff. Bernard Madoff, who built possibly the largest financial pyramid in history, is considered the biggest fraudster of the 21st century and was sentenced to years in prison by a New York court in Stephanie and Mark got married in She worked at the glossy magazine 'George' and for American designer Narciso Rodriguez before becoming a pediatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York in while also pursuing a master's degree. Stephanie currently resides in New York with her children.

Marriage and Scandal

Stephanie and Mark had been married for four years when Mark's father, Bernard Madoff, was arrested in on securities fraud charges. The damage caused by his fraudulent scheme was estimated at $64 billion. At the time, their oldest daughter Audrey was two years old, and Stephanie was pregnant with their son Nicholas. Mark Madoff testified in his father's case as a witness. Upon learning that his father's supposedly successful asset management company was a massive fraud, Mark and his brother Andrew severed all ties with their parents. Mark and Stephanie tried to start a new life for the sake of their young children, but Mark couldn't overcome the shame and disgrace he felt. Additionally, in October , he and other family members were sued for $ million. Mark hung himself on the second anniversary of his father's arrest while Stephanie was away.

The End of Normal

In the past two years, Stephanie has been raising her children alone. She wrote the book 'The End of Normal: A Wife's Anguish, A Widow's New Life' in as a memoir for her children to explain their father's true character and defend his innocence. In the candid memoir, she recounts their idyllic wedding in Nantucket and how she genuinely enjoyed being part of the Madoff family. She shares the shock they experienced upon Bernard's confession, which she believes caused the death of her husband, and the media frenzy that followed her father-in-law's arrest, which equally shocked and outraged the entire family. 'The End of Normal' is a story of losing a fairytale that turned out to be a lie, of life with a husband she barely recognized due to his father's actions, and the tragic loss of a loved one. Stephanie writes that Mark emotionally broke down on the first day. He aged and withered, unsure if his life was even real.

A Tragic Loss

In November , their daughter Audrey turned four. Stephanie's parents gifted her a trip to Disney World for Audrey, her mother, and grandmother. Audrey was thrilled about the trip, and Stephanie felt guilty about leaving Mark alone with their son, but he reassured her. On December 10, when they left, an article about Bernard Madoff's scheme was published in the 'Wall Street Journal,' which worried Stephanie as Mark seemed devastated. They exchanged messages until she went to sleep and turned off her phone, but Mark could still call her through the hotel switchboard. At am on Saturday morning, December 11, , Mark sent her three emails. Stephanie discovered them when she woke up and turned on her phone at In the first email titled 'Help,' he wrote, "Please send someone to take care of Nick." In the next email, three seconds later, he wrote, "I love you."

Stephanie, panicking, told her mother that she received strange emails from Mark as she dialed his number. There was no answer. Her stepfather found Mark's body hanging from a steel beam that crossed the living room ceiling. He had fashioned a noose from their dog's leash. An abandoned vacuum cleaner cord lay on the table, indicating he made two attempts. Little Nick was sleeping just a few steps away. Later that night, Stephanie smashed all the porcelain vases and precious trinkets in the house, scattering useless treasures across the lawn. She fell asleep with her arms around Mark's favorite flannel shirt, which still carried his scent. Since then, she has often wondered what would have happened if she hadn't gone to Disney World.

Every Friday, she takes Audrey to a child mental health specialist. The specialist's first advice was to keep Mark present in their lives to help Audrey and Nick. What broke Stephanie's heart healed her children. Pictures of their father sit on their nightstand, and sometimes she finds her sleeping children holding them tightly in their little hands.