In January 1979, groups of paid protestors set fire to their home in Los Angeles, forcing them to flee, along with the invalid Queen Mother. They lived the remainder of their lives in California. Through it all, Mehrdad continued caring for his wife as the Princess she had always been. He was forced to make compromises to provide the lifestyle she grew up knowing. She was a princess, daughter of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Cossack brigadier who, as king, rescued declining Persia from a feudal society and set it on a course of greatness and modernity.
After battling heart disease and cancer for many years, Princess Shams died in February 1996 at age 77. To Mehrdad, there was nothing more to live for. But Mehrdad’s children “circled the wagons” with strength and comfort after his wife’s passing. Fortunately Mehrdad’s final years proved joyful. After prolonged grieving, he met a Persian lady of compassion, comfort, and someone to offer him devotion. A week after finishing the first draft, Mehrdad Pahlbod entered the hospital and remained there until August 8, 2018, when he too passed into the pages of history.
