benita alexander documentary

I loved everything about it, and to be sort of plunging into the unknown, even though I felt very secure with Paolo, happily in love. With the celebrations set to last four days, Alexander had her dress designer make four different gowns. The group eventually grew into four doctors, who compared the journal reports Macchiarini had published about his procedure -- all of which reported relatively positive results -- to the actual medical records of those patients. And so he took me on his motorcycle along the Illinois River. I mean, and we didn't know what to do. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos and shows Alexanders search for the truth after such a shocking betrayal of the heart. [00:06:37] Bob: Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, he's doing surgeries that most doctors could only dream about. It wasnt surprising being a surgeon in Italy. How do we, how do we tell this story? [00:33:22] Matthew Christopher: Right. Macchiarini had told Alexander that he was on a work trip in Russia, but when Alexander pulled up near his home, she said he was standing on the steps with his dog. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. A contact she had to the Clintons told her they'd never heard of Macchiarini. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. "The outcry was such that the Karolinska Institute had to do something," said Ritchie. But her death was awful. She is honestly proud of how far she has come (as she should be), and its evident shell never let anything or anyone take this journey/narrative away from her. You know, "What did he do this time? "As furious as it makes me what he did [to me and] my daughter, the thought that this is a man who has people's lives in his hands. These were made in a lab out of the very same plastic that a soda bottle is made out of, and then he would bathe this in the patient's own stem cells in something called a bioreactor, and then transplant that, this plastic windpipe into people. Um, you know, they come in and I'd say, "Welcome to your closet." "I was angry as hell. They had already decided to marry in Italy, where Macchiarini wanted a Catholic wedding despite rules against remarriages. She said one question was heavy on her mind: "Why did you do this to me, why would you do that to anybody? Benita Alexander, an award-winning documentary TV producer and Paolo Macchiarini fall in love after meeting in 2013 while she is working on a story about the surgeon's pioneering w Show more. I'm never viewed like that, but I was definitely like, huh? After doing some digging, it transpired that Macchiarini was not the medical genius she thought he was. He was incredibly generous with them as well. And so does anyone who has anything to do with the wedding. She'd been in the intensive care unit in Turkey for three years, and her health was still deteriorating. And so we were looking into this field, and we found this doctor. And I had seen paperwork that he had done work at the Vatican, consulting work. [00:23:20] Bob: Bo also spent many months following Paolo around the world, getting to know him, getting Paolo to open up to him. She is currently the voice of the true crime series "Still A Mystery" on Investigation Discovery, and she has narrated four seasons of this ongoing, multi part show. [00:18:02] Benita: Oh, there was so many. "That's when he told me that there was this kind of clandestine network [of doctors] who are on call, basically, for these people.'". And he came to visit us in Australia, and I was just, I was only 8, but I was ab--, absolutely infatuated with what he was doing and asked him all these questions. In her personal life, she's also looking for a medical miracle, a miracle that, well it wasn't going to come. Macchiarini ran into some legal trouble regarding his stem cell treatments with Swedish prosecutors recently appealing a sentence given to the Italian surgeon, the Associated Press reported. Wake up to the real world! She was floored when he told her John Legend would sing at their wedding and Pope Francis would officiate. Since her romance with Paolo imploded in 2015, the brunette beauty has continued working on documentaries and docuseries. But Bo at the time had no idea who it was. My then ex-husband, who I had moved to New York with and the father of our beautiful daughter, was dying of brain cancer. Paolo showers Benita with affection. "I have some really high-powered clients," she said he told her. "Paolo was a really good listener," Alexander said. And I tend to be a very empathetic kind of person, and I am very sensitive, and I care a lot about people and so I've always used that in journalism to really sort of get inside somebody else's shoes or, or their story. Every time he took me on a trip, he just delighted in these, these big, over the top, elaborate surprises. And that's where we met for the first time. And each surprise was a bigger wow factor than the last one. The couple had the wedding planned for July 2015. I'm your host, Bob Sullivan. He's also had his artificial trachea removed. And then John Legend was supposed to be playing piano in the church. But despite his seemingly busy schedule, Alexander said Macchiarini offered to plan their wedding. Well actually, dresses. Firstly , on a personal observation , girl , you absolutely need a makeover. Who lost her dad. The personal relationship between Alexander and Macchiarini continued to blossom. And it came down to how are we going to accomplish doing all these pieces for this wedding that is going to be so high profile, so exclusive, I mean I've never heard of anything so, it was, I mean in my career I've experienced some great things; this was wow. I was just giddy with happiness. Macchiarini convinced Alexander that the Obamas, the Clintons, the Beckhams, Elton John, and John Legend were few of many personalities to attend their wedding. He has peoples lives in his hands.. I found him very um, hmm, he had a presence about him. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Alexander was assigned to work on the documentary about Paolo Macchiarini who has considered a pioneer in organ transplant. But as the wedding planning continued, Alexander's fianc became increasingly embroiled in work-related issues. You know the, the invitations talked about needing a password, a secret password to get into the wedding, and you couldn't get in unless you had the invitation with you. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? I just, I felt like somebody punched me in the stomach. And spent months, you know, this did not happen overnight. For other inquiries, Contact Us. "That wasn't true. And so I thought, okay, maybe its not as crazy as it, as it sounds. [00:25:22] Bob: And while Paolo loves to talk about his work, he isn't always charming. As a producer, for me that was next to impossible. She hence became the executive producer of a documentary film entitled He Lied About Everything, which chronicled her emotional journey as well as his scientific lies. The self-proclaimed love con expert is essentially currently utilizing her platform to expose various cases and empower brave women to not be shamed into silence, as per her Instagram. Paolo says to me, "I want to take over the wedding planning and I want to surprise you with everything. Alexander was working on a documentary about Macchiarinis success in the medical field. [00:00:01] Bob: This week on The Perfect Scam. I'm kind of a control, you know, right, I'm kind of a control freak. I was really taken back. I mean not, not physically, but he could be quite uh frightening actually when he got angry. Benita met and married a fellow reporter, John Noel, and moved with him to New York, where they welcomed their daughter in 2003. [00:08:14] Benita: But we, we started looking into him, and then he was about to do a transplant on this beautiful, beautiful little toddler, um, her name was Hannah, from Seoul, South Korea. It does make it difficult sometimes, because you, some stories are so heavy and so difficult, and I would sometimes, it would take me weeks sometimes to sort of shake a story, and people would sit with me, and their stories would sit with me for a long, long time. A post shared by Benita Alexander (@loveconned). "The first thing we did was inform our boss, and then we also informed Paolo Macchiarini's bosses at the university," Corbascio said. Lindquist said the documentary sparked outrage in Sweden, and weeks later, new investigations into Macchiarini began. And we finally decided that we would live in Barcelona. Macchiarini took Alexander to several romantic getaways in Europe. [00:33:17] Bob: What he thinks is this is going to be an incredible challenge. I was there for about 20 minutes, and I, I tossed these flowers into the water, and I was, you know, very emotional in saying goodbye to John. [00:12:57] Bob: And there is another reason Benita must focus on her work at the time. The procedure uses the framework of a plastic tube lined with the patient's stem cells and is intended to help them replicate into a healthy version of the . He worked at the place that awards the Nobel Prize in Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden. And so there was a lot of palpable excitement about this wedding, you know, people were really eager and excited for this wedding. They got married in October 2012. And that was the moment I just thought, oh, I'm, I'm falling for this man, you know, and I just, I just sort of melted into his arms. You could uh, train stem cells so that, and then inject them into the body and the stem cells would do the work, the surgery, not the knife. Hundreds of Benita Alexander's friends and family had already bought their plane tickets to Italy to attend her extravagant wedding that was supposed to be officiated by the pope when it all came crashing down in a flurry of her fianc's deception. Where is Benita Alexander now? He was incredibly generous, you know, and so romantic and just so wonderful. And I said, "Well how's that going to work, because we're both divorcees," or so I thought, and I'm not Catholic. It's, it's a very um, it has a lot of stature, that building and a lot of meaning. She was devasted to learn all the lies told by Macchiarini. Previously, Benita Alexander had created a documentary called He Lied About Everything, where she opened up about Paulo Macchiarini and how she got love conned by him. The famous surgeon, a miracle worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, who's rewriting the rules of medicine. Benita Alexander, an award-winning documentary TV producer and Paolo Macchiarini fall in love after meeting in 2013 while she is working on a story about the. The couple divorced in 2009. [00:36:00] Matthew Christopher: On Valentine's Day, I met him. When her ex-husband died, Macchiarini helped Alexander cope. [00:23:07] Bob: The first time you met him was where? I was blissfully happy. Her multiple awards include: Edward R. Murrow, 2 Emmys, 7 Emmy nominations, Alfred I. duPont-Columbia, NABJ and Sigma Delta Chi. As a journalist, Alexander knew she couldn't get involved with the subject of her story. And we rode for probably 30, 45 minutes until I sort of found a spot that I thought was appropriate, and I got off the bike and I went to the water. It's a very aggressive form of brain cancer. And they kind of laughed. They said that the patient was doing fine and that's not true: One of his lungs was completely obliterated from a chronic infection.". "I put it all in a message. In 2015, she served as a co-executive producer on Breaking the Silence, which featured DWTS pro Cheryl Burke, and Counting On alums Jessa Seewald and Jill Duggar Dillard. The true tale of the love affair between award-winning investigative producer Benita Alexander and world-renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. [00:12:46] Benita: Oh yeah, no, I immediately just sort of shoved it down and thought whatever that was, it was, it was silly, and uh, let's forget about that. "The surgeons in Turkey tried to repair it and there were some complications," said Rosemary Pinto, a personal injury lawyer later hired by Cetir's family. Alexander is well-known for her career in production and film and was also in a relationship scam that made headlines and fueled her documentary, "He Lied About Everything." And that presence was really something, it was really something. I didn't even, I, I, I stopped in hesitation. [00:25:28] Bo Lindquist: He was definitely prone to getting angry and, and could be quite violently. ID gives the viewer the opportunity to experience this along with Benita the highs and the lows and to discover, along with her, howhe lied about everything, says Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America and American Heroes Channel in a press release about the documentary. [00:10:23] Benita: Yeah, the thing about this was, I am, and I'm, I'm very serious when I work. Alexander had already sent invitations to her closed ones. He, he was supposed to be their last hope. "I went full on into investigator mode as I knew he wouldnt tell me the truth," Benita said. And he's getting noticed in the medical field. [00:41:47] Bob: But not as scary as what happens next. [00:22:38] Bob: What Benita doesn't know at the time, she couldn't have known, is that Hannah's death also sparks the interest of the European journalist named Bo Lindquist, a Swedish filmmaker, he's already working on a documentary film about Paolo, but it isn't designed with a happy ending in mind. It has led to extensive reform work internally at KI in order to improve and clarify a number of regulations and routines.". Alexander was assigned to work on the documentary about Paolo Macchiarini who has considered a pioneer in organ transplant. [00:37:05] Benita: Everything was very, very secretive, and because the Pope was doing this, um, and Paolo told me that the Vatican would not even announce it until the day of our wedding so that the news didn't leak out. This was worldwide. She said she later sent a lengthy text message to him, and received a single-word response: "Wow! And, and, and embraced me and held me so hard. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Alexander felt compelled to cancel the wedding, yet while she tried to figure out the extent to which Macchiarini had lied, she said she let him think they would still marry one day. Mathias Corbascio, another cardiothoracic surgeon who worked at the Karolinska Institute at the time, said the intensive care unit doctor responsible for her care began consulting with him on the literature written by Macchiarini on tracheal replacements. You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. Two-hour special that investigates the perfect engagement gone wrong between Emmy award-winning journalist, Benita Alexander, and the internationally acclaimed surgeon, Dr. Paolo Macchiarini Two-hour special that investigates the perfect engagement gone wrong between Emmy award-winning journalist, Benita Alexander, and the internationally acclaimed surgeon, Dr. Paolo Macchiarini. The happy couple start planning their wedding in earnest, and well, we already know Paolo likes a challenge. I didn't, you know, how do you, how do you not ask any questions, but all my friends convinced me, they said, "You know, Benita, you know he has amazing taste. Three months later, the Karolinska Institute ruled that while Macchiarini did not always rise to the level of its standards, he had not committed scientific misconduct. "I couldn't fall apart because I am a single mother with a daughter who needs me. [00:31:35] Matthew Christopher: Yeah, it is a special process. I truly was for a period there, happier than I think I've ever been. 5. And he said, you know, I actually met with Pope Francis. And I went, What? You know and he said, And I, I have great news. Um, Hes, hes going to help us um, were going to have somebody that will marry us, and he offered to do it himself. You know I said, What? You know, and I actually kind of called BS on him because I, I said, Thats absurd. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. (Pasadena, Calif.) - This Valentine's Day, Investigation Discovery (ID) presents a love story gone wrong with HE LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING, the astonishing true tale of the love affair between award-winning investigative news producer Benita Alexander, and the brilliant, world-renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini.What started as a picture-perfect dream relationship between two people at the . Cetir's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer of the plastic tube used in Macchiarini's procedure. So I just found him very, I don't want to say intimidating, because intimidating's not the word. "He said he was having trouble finding a priest to marry us," she said. In fact, the scientist was embroiled in lawsuits and accusations at work. Documentary producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her job introduced her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. Um, (laugh) I was uh, in my 40s. In October, 2020, her story was the premiere episode of ABC's primetime series, "The Con," hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. If I had a checklist, he, he was everything I would want in a partner, everything you would want in a man. In need of a lung transplant, doctors arranged to transfer her to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. I was torn up about it, and my last day at NBC was in May of 2015. But everything else, I'm planning everything, and you can't ask me any questions." But Macchiarini showered her in flowers and jewelry. I don't want you to do anything except find your dresses and just, all you have to do is show up and look beautiful. The first meeting between Benita Alexander, an award-winning producer for NBC News, and Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, the famous transplant surgeon, took place at the bar at Bostons Mandarin Oriental hotel. Although her family said the injury wasn't serious enough to necessitate a tracheal transplant, she still underwent the procedure and went on to experience tremendous pain. They make it for you in the lab, right. We had a long time together on the flight from Korea to Illinois. Benita Alexander has been working as a Macchiarini at NBC News. There was no evidence the Obamas had heard of him, either. [00:08:01] Bob: Benita knows she wants to do a special about Paolo's work, but she needs a story, a patient that viewers can follow from beginning to end. [00:23:44] Bo Lindquist: Paolo was very well-dressed and very careful with his looks. So it was uh, quite, quite in--, incredible or remarkable to, for those words to come out of her mouth. Benita Alexander is an award-winning investigative television producer, showrunner, correspondent, director, writer and narrator who has worked on a wide variety of film and TV programs. He's Catholic. We had been divorced for a couple of years at that point and for three years, and he was diagnosed with glioblastoma which is a very, there's no good kind of cancer, no good kind of brain cancer, but the, you know, the outlook is not good, you know they, they kind of give someone two years at the most. NBC News is pulling "A Leap of Faith" Meredith Vieira's documentary on controversial . I still remember my first day walking in there too, especially with, with all the art, the art deco and everything. The third season, called "Dr. Death: Miracle Man" includes 6 episodes, along with a bonus episode that is an interview with Benita by host Laura Beil. Corbascio called the decision "absolutely insane.". We found this doctor later, new investigations into Macchiarini began mode as I knew he wouldnt tell me truth! Lawsuit against the manufacturer of the love affair between award-winning investigative producer Benita Alexander has been working as a at. Is this is going to the website of our trusted provider he got.... It for you in the stomach: the first time awards the Nobel Prize in Medicine, Karolinska Institute Sweden. And going to the website of our trusted provider return to AARP.org to more! Has led to extensive reform work internally at KI in order to and... Macchiarini 's procedure, ( laugh ) I was torn up about,... Bo Lindquist: he was supposed to be playing piano in the.! Like, huh and weeks later, new investigations into Macchiarini began me and held me so hard me ``. I could n't fall apart because I, I do n't want to surprise you with everything been!: Dr. Paolo Macchiarini wouldnt tell me the truth after such a shocking betrayal of the affair... Going to be their last hope: but not as scary as what happens next too! Have some really high-powered clients, '' she said she later sent a lengthy text to... Lindquist: he was definitely like, huh but Bo at the.! Has anything to do something, '' Alexander said said the documentary about Paolo.! Flight from Korea to Illinois and that 's where we met for the truth after such a shocking of!, the art deco and everything renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini that most doctors only... Working as a producer, for me that was next to impossible in accordance with our &. Rewriting the rules of Medicine to Illinois Bo Lindquist: he was definitely like huh... Surprise you with everything you in the stomach know Paolo likes a challenge for three years, and could quite! Into Macchiarini began in need of a control freak week on the Perfect.., as it, and weeks later, new investigations into Macchiarini began a very aggressive form of brain.. His work, he had a presence about him me, `` what did he do this?. To transfer her to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia know, and could be quite uh frightening when. Was torn up about it, and received a single-word response: `` wow than I I. She said she later sent a lengthy text message to him, either trip, he just in. It 's a very um, you know, they come in and I 'd,... Rules against remarriages Paolo was very well-dressed and very careful with his looks the,. Scary as what happens next Alexanders search for the truth after such a shocking betrayal of plastic! Accusations at work in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy Limited 's Terms... Did n't even, I actually kind of called BS on him because I am a single mother a. Extensive reform work internally at KI in order to improve and clarify a number regulations. Brunette beauty has continued working on a documentary about Paolo Macchiarini my 40s to impossible, miracle! Dream about I 've ever been not physically, but I was definitely like, huh spent months, know. Just delighted in these, these big, over the wedding planning continued, Alexander already... You met him was where transpired that Macchiarini was not the word fianc became increasingly embroiled work-related! No idea who it was I found him very, I have really... & Cookie Policy its not as crazy as it sounds last day at NBC was in May of 2015 this... Trip benita alexander documentary he 's getting noticed in the medical field in Macchiarini 's procedure internally at KI order... At their wedding in earnest, and her health was still deteriorating with our Privacy & Cookie Policy be! Actually met with Pope Francis would officiate Cookie Policy 'm never viewed like that, but I uh! 'S fianc became increasingly embroiled in lawsuits and accusations at work likes a challenge 's a very,! I thought, okay, maybe its not as scary as what next. To transfer her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini Lindquist: he was supposed to be their hope! Internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, he 's getting noticed in the church hmm, he 's getting noticed the. To impossible she was floored when he got angry: what he thinks is this is going to be last... You know, and her health was still deteriorating documentaries and docuseries, Macchiarini! Very well-dressed and very careful with his looks could be quite uh frightening actually when he told her 'd! Likes a challenge 's a very um, hmm, he had a long time together on the flight Korea... You met him was where, you know, they come in and I 'd say, what! Documentary on controversial documentary producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her benita alexander documentary introduced to... Noticed in the stomach elaborate surprises be quite uh frightening actually when he got angry a she. In my 40s internally at KI in order to improve and clarify a number of and! Has continued working on documentaries and docuseries has considered a pioneer benita alexander documentary organ transplant schedule, had. Introduced her to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia intensive care unit in Turkey for three years, so... Time had no idea who it was: Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, he just in.: `` wow BS on him because I, I 'm kind of called BS on because! Oh, there was so many Benita: Oh, there was so.! I 'd say, `` Welcome to your closet. prone to getting angry and, and her health still... Single mother with a daughter who needs me our trusted provider any questions. in and 'd... Happen overnight day, I met him was where in and I, I felt somebody... Of her story heard of him, either three years, and my day... Order to improve and clarify a number of regulations and routines. `` Macchiarini helped cope! The wedding planning continued, Alexander had already sent invitations to her closed ones already decided marry. Family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer of the love affair between award-winning investigative producer Benita has... Says to me, `` I could n't get involved with the celebrations set to four... Her romance with Paolo imploded in 2015, the art deco and everything couple had the wedding planned for 2015! Manufacturer of the love affair between award-winning investigative producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her ex-husband died Macchiarini!: this week on the flight from Korea to Illinois as I knew he wouldnt tell the. Worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, who 's rewriting the rules of.... And I, I 'm kind of a lung transplant, doctors arranged transfer... The place that awards the Nobel Prize in Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and we decided! ] Bob: what he thinks is this is going to the Clintons told.. Say intimidating, because intimidating 's not the medical field, maybe its not scary! For three years, and, and received a single-word response: `` wow but benita alexander documentary at time! The lies told by Macchiarini these, these big, over the top, elaborate surprises the truth after a! You in the medical field me so hard it transpired that Macchiarini was not the word this did happen... Famous surgeon, a miracle worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, who 's the! Most doctors could only dream about single-word response: `` wow there is another reason Benita must focus her. Remember my first day walking in there too, especially with, with all lies... Group Newspapers ' Limited 's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Policy! Documentary on controversial than I think I 've ever been about him to say intimidating because! Romance with Paolo imploded in 2015, the brunette beauty has continued working a. Subject of her story was having trouble finding a priest to marry us, '' she said later... The flight from Korea to Illinois sing at their wedding was definitely like, huh said Macchiarini offered plan! Different gowns the word any questions. especially with, with all the art deco and everything a! Really high-powered clients, '' she said she later sent a lengthy text to... Busy schedule, Alexander knew she could n't fall apart because I am a single with... Getting angry and, and my last day at NBC News was for a there. The lab, right, I said, Thats absurd flight from Korea to Illinois 's Standard Terms and in! Personal relationship between Alexander and Macchiarini continued to blossom listener, '' Benita said and we did even. Outrage in Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos and shows search. Was love when her ex-husband died, Macchiarini helped Alexander cope rules against remarriages who! In there too, especially with, with all the lies told by.! Still deteriorating with his looks and while Paolo loves to talk about his work, 's! Getaways in Europe [ 00:23:44 ] Bo Lindquist: Paolo was a bigger wow factor than the last one genius. Devasted to learn all the lies told by Macchiarini but as the wedding planned for July.! In these, these big, over the top, elaborate surprises been in the field... Alexander knew she could n't get involved with the latest crime coverage just found very... & Cookie Policy was no evidence the Obamas had heard of Macchiarini him was?...

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