Alfred D. Herger - New Career As A Psychologist

New Career As A Psychologist

Herger retired from radio and television to dedicate himself fully to his career as a psychologist during the early 1980s due to his personal experience rebounding from depression after the murder of one of his children (1994), Benny. Benny was a minor player on "La Pirámide", and later attenden Purdue University in Indiana. Visiting Puerto Rico during one of his winter breaks he was carjacked and shot dead. Herger was deeply affected by his son's death but his inner search for sense from the whole experience gave him enough motivation to revive his interest in psychology, and eventually completing a Master's degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree. His constant interest in youth themes made him popular as a youth counselor.

Grace Marie's first husband, physician Pedro Gracia Jr., suddenly died from an allergic reaction to shrimp at a dinner honoring him. This led some Puerto Ricans to believe that the Hergers were somehow cursed, in a way similar to that of the Kennedy Curse (some even blamed their stint producing "La Pirámide" and their irreverent treatment of Egyptian themes for their bad luck). Dismissing this as nonsense, Herger went on to produce self-help radio programs in which he was the host. He has since written four best selling books on self-help psychology since. Herger still exercises his profession as a psychologist at a private office in San Juan.

Herger was honored by the Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular, which recognizes important figures of popular culture in Puerto Rico on August 13, 2008.