Filed under: News, Profiles, President Obama
CBS's Katie Couric had one concern for Elizabeth Edwards (pictured) after her husband, John Edwards, announced his bid for the White House in 2008. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 that had previously returned aggressively, Ms. Couric reminded her, "You're staring at possible death."
Edwards' stoic reply? "Aren't we all, though?"
That bold, relentless spirit defined every step of Elizabeth Edwards' life. With grace, poise and dignity, she fought a six-year battle with cancer, and according to her, she was victorious. After her death yesterday at 61 years old, a family friend said, "Elizabeth did not want people to say she lost her battle with cancer. The battle was about living a good life and that she won."
The Edwards family shared their grief in a statement:
"Today we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth's presence, but she remains the heart of this family. We love her and will never know anyone more inspiring or full of life."
Born Mary Elizabeth Anania on July 3, 1949, she was a fierce health advocate who publicly decried the state of the U.S. health care system. She was extremely passionate about ensuring that people who did not have her wealth would still have access to quality health care. A self-described anti-Barbie, because of her intellect and "real-woman figure," she was not afraid to stand up to the likes of Republican pundit Ann Coulter, or even to her husband.
While former presidential candidate Edwards was against allowing gay citizens to marry, preferring a "civil union" instead, Mrs. Edwards was not afraid to distance herself from what she thought was the discriminatory rhetoric of her husband while acknowledging that he was being honest in his beliefs:
"I don't know why somebody else's marriage has anything to do with me," she said. "I'm completely comfortable with gay marriage."
"If he's pleasant to me on the street, if his children don't throw things in my yard, then I'm happy," she said. "It seems to me we're making issues of things that honestly ... don't matter."
That respect for other people's relationships made the revelation that her husband had an affair with former campaign aide Rielle Hunter and fathered a child with her even more devastating.
Quietly suffering with the knowledge that Edwards had what he described as a one night stand in 2006, Elizabeth chose to stand by him until she learned that the affair spanned months and the "love child" that Edwards previously denied was indeed his daughter.
Publicly renewing their vows on their 30th anniversary, Elizabeth sat down with Oprah and explained the depth of John's betrayal, explaining how her father's adultery on her mother "undermined her in so many ways, just the thought of it ... it made her less than she could be. I just didn't want to see that happen to me."
An accomplished lawyer in her own right and author of two best-selling books, "Resilience" and "Saving Graces," the one event that shaped her journey more than any other was the death of her 16-year-old son, Wade, in a car accident in 2006. Her despair and grief were always simmering beneath the surface, and she openly questioned her faith in God after his passing:
"Some days I am nothing at all but a Mother who lost her son. If I had a God who would intervene but hadn't, I couldn't accept that God any longer," she says. "There is no heaven for me without my boy. I am not interested in a God who exiles my son."
Mother, advocate and steel magnolia, the world has and will continue to benefit from the life, laughter and lessons of Elizabeth Edwards.
In a statement, President and First Lady Obama said they were "deeply saddened" by her death:
"In her life, Elizabeth Edwards knew tragedy and pain. Many others would have turned inward; many others in the face of such adversity would have given up. But through all that she endured, Elizabeth revealed a kind of fortitude and grace that will long remain a source of inspiration. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends."
On Monday, Edwards announced that she was discontinuing cancer treatment:
"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered," she wrote on her Facebook page. "We know that. And yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called 'being human.' But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful."
Rest in love and peace, Elizabeth. Rest secure in the knowledge that your impact on the lives of those who love you, cheered for you and cried with you will live on.