Brittany Maynard and mother, Deborah Ziegler (Photo: Deborah Ziegler)
For Deborah Ziegler and her family, 2014 began in the worst possible way. A fist-size chunk of a cancerous tumor was removed from the frontal lobe of her daughter, Brittany Maynard. Two and a half months later, the recently married 29-year-old learned she had less than a year to live.
Unwilling to wait for brain cancer to rob her of the ability to think, speak, hear, and see—and terrified at the prospect of a slow, lingering death—Maynard chose to end her life by her own hand. In doing so, she became the face of the controversial right-to-die movement—and her mother, who backed her decision, saw their private family anguish played out in public, resulting in both an outpouring of support, as well as criticism.
In her new book Wild and Precious Life (Emily Bestler Books), Ziegler chronicles her daughter’s story, and how since her death in November 2014 it has propelled her into a new role as an advocate for the growing number of people worldwide who are struggling with end-of-life issues.
In conversation with Jennifer Ludden, national correspondent for NPR, Ziegler discusses her daughter’s decision to stare death squarely in the face, and the process by which Brittany devised and carried out a plan to leave her home and community in California to move to Oregon—which at the time was one of just five states with death-with-dignity legislation in place. She also shares her views about the need for more counseling and training for families that provide care for a loved one who is terminally ill.
Copies of Wild and Precious Life are available for purchase and signing.
