Elizabeth was an army brat and once told a reporter that the reason she had designed the rooms of her NC home with high ceilings and giant doorways was that she had always dreamed of being able to move around in a home. She said that as a child she imagined having a room where she could twirl about in circles. One of the bedrooms she had during her Dad’s many moves with the Navy was so small that the door couldn’t be closed because her bed didn’t fit into the room.
Elizabeth was an attorney and an author and a tireless advocate for healthcare reform. She was widely regarded as the smartest student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law. She was also a mom who worked for better opportunities for all children.
At a campaign stop
With her two youngest children.
With her eldest daughter.
Of course Elizabeth first gained national recognition as the wife of Senator John Edwards. When he ran for President I always thought she would have been the better candidate.
Regardless of the giant blip in their married life I believe there was love there – Edwards dedicated one of his books to Elizabeth …
"Finally, my thanks to my wife, Elizabeth. I have spent many years trying to live up to what she believed I could be, and I am the better for it. This book and this life would not have been possible without her.''
Elizabeth was a fighter. She fought off despair after her son Wade died at the age of 16 in a car accident. She pushed away public scrutiny when her husband’s idiotic behavior came to light. She fought her cancer for as long as anyone could – and she tried to support others battling the disease. She often spoke of how lucky she was to have access to the best healthcare and how she wanted that for all Americans.
I loved that Elizabeth looked like a regular woman. I often noticed how she would tug at her jacket when she stood up and how she usually wore a sweater over t-shirts. The universal body language of chubby girls.
“Terminal disease is a great clarifier. It takes you in the direction away from the mirror and toward the window." ~ Elizabeth Edwards
Peaceful journey Elizabeth.
