Living while dying: ‘Little Buddha’ wisdom from a terminally ill ‘goofball’
By Jessica Ravitz, CNN
Updated 10:42 AM ET, Wed July 5, 2017
Claire Wineland smiles broadly at a comedy roast to raise money for Claire’s Place Foundation in July 2015. Photo Credit: Avery Ward
More than a sick kid
Pineapples and mushrooms
Claire has always welcomed chances to escape Los Angeles and breathe cleaner air. Here, she visits Vancouver, British Columbia, several years ago.
Flatlining
Claire and her sister, Elanore Nordquist, cuddle the night before Claire moves out of the house. One of the things Claire appreciates most about Elanore is that she’s never treated Claire like a sick person.
A winter wonderland
After her coma, Claire traveled to Sitka, Alaska, the place she believes she subconciously visited.
Finding meaning by giving back
Claire has spent a quarter of her life in the hospital, mostly at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California, where her medical team is just like family.
Don’t touch her sushi
A 2015 trip to Europe with childhood friend Alicia Schomer, who says Claire has changed her: “I’m not as terrifed of the thought of death anymore, but I am terrified of not living life to the fullest.”
Claire, unplugged
Claire’s parents, Melissa Nordquist Yeager and John Wineland, split when Claire was 3 but remain close friends and partners when it comes to her care.
1 Comment
Claire, you are incredibly inspiring! I wish we could bottle up your joy for life and share it with the world. Your bravery and willingness to confront societies expectations of individuals living with illness is amazing. I look up to you.