Ep 321: The Dana Download with Dana Arschin and guest Rick Lukash on hmTv

Episode 321: Dr. Rick Lucash — Medicine, Memory, and Moral Courage

In this riveting episode, host Dana sits down with Dr. Rick Lucash — board-certified surgeon, artist, author, and husband of a second-generation Holocaust survivor — for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about healing, legacy, and the responsibility to remember.

Dr. Lucash shares how his medical career and artistic calling intersect with history, including his powerful portraits of Holocaust survivors and the profound influence of his wife's Auschwitz-survivor parents. He also recounts the remarkable story of his father, world-renowned medical examiner Dr. Leslie Lucash, who played a pivotal role in identifying the remains of Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele in Brazil.

This episode explores resilience, moral leadership, the power of testimony, and how ordinary individuals can rise to moments of extraordinary purpose. It is a celebration of memory, humanity, and the quiet strength of those who carry history forward with dignity and truth.

A moving conversation that honors the past and challenges all of us to stand up for what matters.

Transcript

The Dana Download

Episode 321: Dr. Rick Lucash — Healing, Art, and Holocaust Memory

Dana:
Hey everyone, thanks so much for joining us today on The Dana Download. This show brings you into conversations with people from all corners of my life and across fields that truly fascinate me. We are jumping right in because today’s guest is extraordinary.

Dr. Rick Lucash, thank you so much for being here.

Dr. Lucash:
Thank you for inviting me.

Dana:
Let me give our listeners a quick snapshot of who you are, although it would honestly take hours to cover everything. Dr. Lucash is a surgeon certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He has written multiple books, he's a pianist, an oil painter, and the husband of a second-generation Holocaust survivor. And you’ve raised three daughters who are part of the third generation. You even published a novel recently. So… is there anything you don’t do?

Dr. Lucash:
I just keep trying new things. I actually published the novel recently too.

Dana:
Amazing. We have so much to get into — including your father’s incredible role in identifying the remains of Josef Mengele. We're saving that for last so make sure you stick around.

But first — you walked in today in scrubs. Tell us where you came from this morning.

Dr. Lucash:
I performed a facial rejuvenation procedure using the patient’s own fat for volume. Instead of synthetic fillers, I take fat from one part of the body and use it to restore natural structure. It helps rebuild lost volume and even improves the quality of the skin.

Dana:
So basically a facelift without cutting?

Dr. Lucash:
Exactly. It is volumetric restoration. Aging is a loss of volume, so when you restore volume naturally, you rejuvenate the face in a way that looks authentic. I prefer using a patient’s own tissues whenever possible. And I also use these techniques in pediatric cases and for breast reconstruction without implants.

Dana:
Fascinating. And for those listening — you can Google Dr. Lucash. He’s in Great Neck, New York.

Now let’s talk about the part of your life that intersects with ours here at HMTC. I am a granddaughter of an Auschwitz survivor, and every week I interview survivors on behalf of the center. That work is my obligation to my grandfather and his generation. If we don’t carry this forward, who will?

Dr. Lucash:
My wife’s parents were both Auschwitz survivors. When I first visited her home, I saw twenty yahrzeit candles lit — a powerful symbol of loss and memory. That was a very different experience from my own upbringing, and it shaped me deeply.

Dana:
For listeners who may not know, a yahrzeit candle is a memorial candle lit in honor of loved ones who have passed, especially on anniversaries and certain holidays.

You live immersed in Holocaust remembrance through your family. But you also do something else profound — you paint survivors. Tell us how that started.

Dr. Lucash:
I always had artistic instincts, but never formal training. In 2018 a patient pushed me to try the Long Island Academy of Fine Arts in Glen Cove. I started in pencil and charcoal, then moved into oil. My wife challenged me early on: “If you're going to paint, paint something meaningful.” So I painted Holocaust survivors — beginning with Irving Roth. Then I painted my wife’s family, then other survivors. I’ve completed about 25 so far.

Dana:
Your exhibit Faces of Resilience is stunning. I saw your paintings at the Sid Jacobson JCC and recognized them instantly. They are so full of dignity and life. And the fact that you paint survivors — that you literally preserve their faces in art — is such a powerful form of remembrance.

Dr. Lucash:
It became a mission. And now I draw not only survivors, but also figures like Elie Wiesel and Simon Wiesenthal, who actually called my father before his mission to Brazil.

Dana:
And that brings us to Mengele. My grandfather came face-to-face with him, and I’ve interviewed survivors and twins who endured his experiments. For people listening, Josef Mengele was the SS doctor at Auschwitz known as the “Angel of Death.” He selected who lived and who died. He experimented on twins. He personally murdered countless innocent people.

Your father helped identify his remains. Tell us how that happened.

Dr. Lucash:
My father, Dr. Leslie Lucash, was the Chief Medical Examiner of Nassau County for nearly 50 years and a pioneer in forensic pathology. In 1984 word emerged that remains discovered in Brazil might be Mengele’s. American officials and the Wiesenthal Center contacted my father. There was political friction, but ultimately two forensic teams — including my father’s — traveled to Brazil, alongside experts from Israel, West Germany, and Brazil.

They studied the remains meticulously. There was no DNA testing then, so they relied on skeletal analysis, dental comparisons, and facial reconstruction. There were also witness interviews that confirmed his hiding and burial. My father urged caution in the language, recommending they say “probable certainty” until science advanced. But yes, the consensus was that the remains were Mengele.

Dana:
How did it feel knowing your father played such a historic role?

Dr. Lucash:
It was a big shadow to live under. He was world-renowned. I’m just a hardworking surgeon who found my own way. But I’m proud. And honored.

Dana:
You’re more than “just” anything. You honor survivors with your art, and you tell these stories with such meaning.

Before we wrap, you mentioned your books. Where can people find them?

Dr. Lucash:
On Amazon. My latest novel is The Hypocritical Oath, and I’ve also written books on teenage plastic surgery, childhood health, and Operation Art, which showcases drawings from my young patients and their journeys.

Dana:
I love your drive. You are unstoppable. And what a gift to history and to families like mine.

Rick, thank you for this moving conversation. To everyone listening, follow us on social media — we’ll be sharing images and documents Rick brought today. This episode barely scratched the surface of his work and his story, and I know you’ll want to see more.

Until next time — thank you for joining us on The Dana Download.