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People File • Mathematician

Alicia Nash

Alicia Nash (born Alicia Esther Lardé López-Harrison; 1933–2015) was a Salvadoran-American physicist and mental-health advocate.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

Alicia Nash was a Salvadoran-American physicist and mental-health advocate, best known as the wife of mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. Her life story was widely shared through the book and film *A Beautiful Mind*.

Who she was

Alicia Esther Lardé López-Harrison de Nash was born on January 1, 1933, in San Salvador, El Salvador. She studied physics and aspired to a scientific career before much of her life became focused on family and caregiving.

Life with John Nash

She met John Forbes Nash Jr. at MIT and later married him. Their relationship included periods of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, and she was a central part of his support network during his struggles with schizophrenia.

Death and legacy

Alicia Nash died on May 23, 2015, in a car crash in Monroe Township, New Jersey, together with John Nash. Her role in his life was portrayed by Jennifer Connelly in the 2001 film *A Beautiful Mind*.

In short

  • Born in El Salvador in 1933, Alicia Nash was a physicist by training.
  • She was married to John Nash, supporting him through schizophrenia.
  • Her story was widely known via *A Beautiful Mind*.
  • She died in 2015 alongside John Nash in a car crash.

Quick questions

Who is Alicia Nash?
Alicia Nash was a Salvadoran-American physicist and mental-health advocate, best known as the wife of mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr.
When did Alicia Nash die?
She died on May 23, 2015, in a car crash in Monroe Township, New Jersey, along with John Nash.
Was Alicia Nash in *A Beautiful Mind*?
Alicia Nash was portrayed in *A Beautiful Mind* by Jennifer Connelly; the book and film drew heavily on her life with John Nash.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Nash
    Supports: Birth name, birth and death dates, occupation, marriage to John Nash, and mention of *A Beautiful Mind*.
  2. PBS American Experiencehttps://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/nash-alicia/
    Supports: Her role in John Nash’s life and her support during his illness.
  3. The Boston Globehttps://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2015/05/28/alicia-nash-wife-nobel-laureate-dies/MBhsKUXDPg0beCdXP0DJ4L/story.html
    Supports: Birth place, age at death, marriage history, and death in the New Jersey crash.
  4. Princeton Universityhttps://research.princeton.edu/news/princeton-community-remembers-john-nash-jr-and-alicia-nash
    Supports: Death in the New Jersey Turnpike crash and ages at death.
  5. IMDbhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm1183345/bio/
    Supports: Birth name, birth/death dates, and identification as spouse of John Nash and subject of media appearances.