Evva Pryor worked as a social worker .
When she learned of it in 1968 , though her romantic relationship with Branden had already ended , Rand terminated her relationship with both Brandens , which led to the closure of NBI.. Rand published an article in The Objectivist repudiating Nathaniel Branden for dishonesty and other `` irrational behavior in his private life '' .. Branden later apologized in an interview to `` every student of Objectivism '' for `` perpetuating the Ayn Rand mystique '' and for `` contributing to that dreadful atmosphere of intellectual repressiveness that pervades the Objectivist movement '' .. In subsequent years , Rand and several more of her closest associates parted company..Rand underwent surgery for lung cancer in 1974 after decades of heavy smoking.. In 1976 , she retired from writing her newsletter and , despite her initial objections , she allowed social worker Evva Pryor , an employee of her attorney , to enroll her in Social Security and Medicare .
Ayn Rand