Elizabeth Edwards ”” who catapulted into the public eye in 2004, when her husband, Sen. John Edwards, ran for president and was John Kerry’s running mate on the Democratic ticket, has died, a close family friend tells NPR. She was 61.
Over the past few years, Edwards wrote two best-selling books, fought a well-publicized battle against cancer and saw her marriage crumble after her husband fathered a child with another woman.
Even for a public figure, Edwards led an extraordinarily public life. Not only did she do the things most political spouses do ”” the fundraisers and the luncheon speeches and the campaign rallies ”” but she also allowed the country to share her personal struggles. She wrote candidly about the death of her teenage son. She spoke openly about having cancer ”” even holding a news conference with her doctor to announce her diagnosis. And after her husband confessed to an affair, she went on the talk-show circuit, explaining in a 2009 NPR interview that she hoped to help others by talking about her pain.
I was not a fan of either Mrs. Edwards or her husband in general, but her death is a tragedy not only for her but for her three children, the youngest two now presumably in the care of the husband who strayed. May she rest in peace and may God give His care to the children.
What is local news about this is the planned descent of the offensive Westboro Baptist Church fanatics to protest her funeral in Raleigh this weekend. They delight in making bad situations worse.
Pray for her children. No woman would leave this earth with minor children if she could help it. The (ex)husband isn’t worth a wooden nickel. It is the kids that matter.