She was smart—although, as it turned out, not in choosing husbands.
She was brave, electing repeatedly—whatever the cost to herself—to do whatever she thought would contribute to the world around her, and to her family. Were every single one of her choices wise? Probably not. But neither are mine. Neither are yours.
She was ferociously loyal, even sometimes past what we now know was prudent. Yet the incandescent ferocity remains a shining, beautiful thing, even if certain of those who received it were less than deserving.
She was funny, full-hearted, refreshingly candid in an over-controlled, cover-your-butt world.
She was a woman and a mother who over and over managed to reembrace life—first after being shattered to ground level by the death of her 16-year old first born, then again after being re-shattered by her husband’s very public betrayal.
She was a kick-ass, no-shit sister.
I’d have enjoyed having her as a friend. I’m sorry she’s gone.
Rest well, dear Elizabeth. You’ve earned it.
I hope John Edwards honors her memory by leading a purposeful life and putting his narcissistic behavior to rest.
It’s also remarkable that she had twins at age 48, they will sadly have to grow up barely having known their mother. That must have been one of the hardest things for her, knowing that.
Not to get corny, but I’m reminded of the scenes in “The Big C” where the mom fills the garage with gifts and notes for her teenaged son, for every occasion from high school to college graduations to his wedding, with notes and photos of them together. Elizabeth’s last note showed a lot of grace and I hope that she had come to terms with her fate as it sounds. One of the blessings of this kind of impending death is the chance to prepare and say goodbye: and she had lots of money, the best care, lots of people who cared – many people die from cancer with a lot less. Still of course, I would love for this horrible disease to be eradicated someday. We all knew this day would come, but still when it does, one is never fully prepared.
(Meanwhile, we should all take our daily aspirins if we can tolerate it, as something as simple as reducing inflammation may be one of the keys to preventing many kinds of cancer, especially colon and even breast cancer. There is also promise is freezing tumors to prevent spread, instead of the primitive chemo which kills all cells good and bad. May cancer, Alzheimers and other horrible diseases go the way of polio…)
P.S. I may have her age at giving birth slightly off – seems the twins were only about 5-6 during the campaign so she may have been more like 52 – long past when doctors say it’s possible or advisable, so she really showed courage, and the kids are lovely and healthy. AND yet she never made a big deal about it, didn’t parade them around as some sort of big personal accomplishment as many would have in her place. Maybe losing a son at 16 and learning she had cancer soon afterwards, made her so philosophical about life, which gives and takes with equal randomness. She seemed well aware that unlike so many, she didn’t die broke and alone, far from it. Wishing all best for the children.
Nicely put, SBL. All of it.
What Donna Myrow and SBL said.
And, yes, ditto Donna. I assuredly hope so too.
Heard the crazy church people are going to protest at her funeral because she didn’t pray to God for help, very sad for her friends and family.