Legacy gift to Sharp honors wife’s lifetime of compassion

Bill Leigh always admired how his late wife, Ruth Lyn Riedel, embodied the spirit of compassion. She dedicated her life to improving the health and wellness of low-income communities, from her university days in 1960s Chicago to founding and leading Alliance HealthCare Foundation in San Diego County in 1988.

Ruth and Bill also spent decades devoted to each other. And after she passed away from a prolonged illness at 81 in September 2023, Bill knew he wanted to keep her spirit alive. So, he channeled his “inner Ruth,” he says, by making a legacy gift to the Foundations of Sharp HealthCare.

“I’m still asking her advice,” Bill says. “She was always the smart one, and I learned so much from her. I’m not the same person I was before I met her.”

How Bill’s legacy gift works

Bill chose to donate via a life estate gift annuity (LEGA), pledging the future interest in his Del Mar home in exchange for a charitable gift annuity, which guarantees him a fixed-rate stream of income for the rest of his life.

Bill will continue to live in and enjoy his home and receive a monthly payment based on his gift. LEGAs also provide donors with significant tax benefits, including some tax-free income.

“The income from the life estate gift annuity frees up money for Bill to donate and fund programs now,” says Barbara Norman, Bill’s financial advisor. “He can make sure he sees the benefit to the community today instead of funding when he passes.”

In turn, Sharp will use Bill’s legacy gift to further initiatives he supports — specifically, behavioral health initiatives with Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center’s Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing (EmPATH) Unit.

“I want to help people through mental health crises, through substance abuse, addiction and more,” Bill says. “Due to its deeply personal nature, there’s often an internal or familial stigma around seeking mental health treatment, and this makes public outreach of these services all the more important.”

Caring for others through philanthropy

Bill met Ruth in 1993 and was drawn to her kindness, beauty and intelligence. They lived in their Del Mar home together for 21 years, with Ruth’s artwork, plaques and photographs adorning the cedar and rosé-colored walls.

“The décor is so Ruth, I love it,” Bill says with a smile.

Bill was inspired by Ruth’s humanitarian efforts, which included raising more than $100 million in charitable donations as CEO of Alliance, promoting funding for AIDS research, clean needle exchange and access to quality health care for vulnerable populations.

“The clean needle exchange became a gateway for people to get additional help, like mental health services,” Barbara says.

A compassionate approach to mental health care

Sharp Chula Vista opened the EmPATH Unit in January 2025 focused on crisis stabilization within its emergency department to provide specialized care for those experiencing a behavioral health emergency. In the Chula Vista EmPATH Unit, patients will be monitored and treated by specialized caregivers who are trained to treat psychiatric emergencies, de-escalate a person’s level of distress and provide patients with mental health resources.

“Behavioral health is an interest close to both Ruth and me,” Bill says. “The EmPATH Unit’s ability to intercede, support and guide a person to the right mental health resources is a more compassionate approach toward improving outcomes.”

In honor of Bill’s generosity, Sharp is naming the EmPATH Unit in dedication to Ruth and Bill.

“Ruth was always strategic about the coordination of funding with other philanthropies to make sure the maximum number of people are helped,” Bill says. “And I’ve learned that Sharp has many real-world examples in place.”

Learn more about making a legacy gift to Sharp by emailing linda.spuck@sharp.com; support ENVISION: The Campaign for Sharp HealthCare; get the latest health and wellness news, trends and patient stories from Sharp Health News; and subscribe to our weekly newsletter by clicking the "Sign up" link below.