Elizabeth Edwards Dead at 61

A day after the news that doctors were stopping treatment of her breast cancer, Elizabeth Edwards died this morning in North Carolina at age 61. "Today we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth's presence but she remains the heart of this family," said a family statement. Estranged husband John and other family members and friends had gathered in recent days. The family asked that donations be made to the Wade Edwards Foundation, which benefits the Wade Edwards Learning Lab. He was the Edwards' teenage son who died in a car accident.

"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered," Elizabeth wrote on Facebook yesterday. "We know that. And yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful." Click here for a plea to avoid the 'lost a battle' cliche.
(More Elizabeth Edwards stories.)