▁originally ▁was ▁from ▁Austria ▁and ▁also ▁translated ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁books . ▁They ▁had ▁one ▁son , ▁Sh l omo ▁El ish a ▁Wies el , ▁named ▁after ▁Wies el ' s ▁father . ▁The ▁family ▁lived ▁in ▁Green wich , ▁Connecticut . ▁ ▁Wies el ▁was ▁attacked ▁in ▁a ▁San ▁Francisco ▁hotel ▁by ▁ 2 2 - year - old ▁Hol oca ust ▁den ier ▁Eric ▁H unt ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁injured . ▁H unt ▁was ▁arrested ▁the ▁following ▁month ▁and ▁charged ▁with ▁multiple ▁off enses . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Wies el ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Washington ▁University ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis ▁comm enc ement ▁speaker . ▁▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts ▁performed ▁a ▁post hum ous ▁bapt ism ▁for ▁Simon ▁Wies ent hal ' s ▁parents ▁without ▁proper ▁authorization . ▁After ▁his ▁own ▁name ▁was ▁submitted ▁for ▁proxy ▁bapt ism , ▁Wies el ▁spoke ▁out ▁against ▁the ▁una ut hor ized ▁practice ▁of ▁post hum ously ▁bapt izing ▁Jews ▁and ▁asked ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁and ▁L atter - day ▁Saint ▁Mitt ▁Rom ney ▁to ▁den ounce ▁it . ▁Rom ney ' s ▁campaign ▁decl ined ▁to ▁comment , ▁direct ing ▁such ▁questions ▁to ▁church ▁officials . ▁ ▁Death ▁and ▁after ▁Wies el ▁died ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁July ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁at ▁his