LONGEST SLEEP
Tragic tale of world’s longest coma that saw ‘America’s Snow White’ fall ill as teen & never wake up again in 42 yr hell
A gunman once attacked the family home after vowing to end Edwarda's life
THE life of Edwarda O'Bara, known as America's "Sleeping Snow White", took a tragic turn when she fell into a four-decade coma as a teen - never to wake up.
Edwarda spent 42 years completely unconscious, while her family went through hell trying to keep her alive.
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But before she slipped into a comatose state, Edwarda left her family with one final message that would change their lives.
Edwarda was a popular, upbeat Miami school girl when tragedy struck in 1970.
Until 16, she lived a normal life with loving parents, Kaye and Joe, and a sister, Colleen, with who she was incredibly close.
Her favourite song was "Bobby's Girl", because it reminded her of her crush by the same name.
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Bobby would remain a part of Edwarda's life for decades, visiting her often - though she never knew it.
Edwarda fell gravely ill after a sudden bout of pneumonia, and reacted badly to the medicine she was administered.
Her family said she “woke up shaking and in great pain because the oral form of insulin she had been taking wasn't reaching her blood stream”.
Joe had just returned from a fishing trip when he went into his daughter’s room to find her legs were covered with "sugar lumps" under the skin.
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Colleen recalled: “My sister was screaming. I remember it like it was yesterday.
"My dad started rubbing her legs to try to get the sugar to flow. He picked her up, and we just rushed her to the hospital.”
I thought I had a winter cold then I woke from a coma about to lose my legs
The family reached the hospital at 2am on January 3, 1970 - Joe and Kaye's 22nd wedding anniversary.
Before falling unconscious, Edwarda looked to her mum and said “promise you won't leave me”.
Her responded: “Of course not. I would never leave you, darling.";
And she kept her word.
For the rest of her own life, Kaye endured a gruelling daily routine where she slept for just 90 minutes to ensure she could always be available to care for her daughter.
Her determination to keep her daughter at home meant she forked out huge sums for medical fees, leaving her $200,000 in debt by 2007.
Kaye never left Edwarda’s side until the mother died on March 7, 2008, aged 80.
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Throughout the decades of misery, Kaye always held onto hope that her girl would recover.
Joe died in 1977 from a heart attack under the strain of working three jobs to pay his daughter's medical bills.
And when Kaye died, Edwarda’s sister Colleen quit her job to take her place as full time carer.
Colleen selflessly said: “I didn’t give it a second thought. She's my sister. And I love her.”
The exhausting care routine involved bathing Edwarda, turning her every two hours to prevent bedsores, and feeding her through a tube.
Edwarda's incredible story drew widespread fame and attention, with celebrities like Neil Diamond and even President Bill Clinton visiting the family.
Thousands of people from across the globe flew to the home to honour Edwarda's incredible life and her family’s selflessness.
A huge birthday party was held for Edwarda's 56th birthday, with her sister sending out 4,000 invites.
Colleen said in 2009: “The people we invite have given donations, helped us and feel inspired by our story.
“Edwarda does not turn 56 until next March. But this year I’m starting writing to our supporters early.”
Whilst most people were supportive of the family's commitment to keeping Edwarda alive, not everyone though they were doing the right thing.
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An American right-to-die group called the Hemlock Society would phone the house often, pleading with Kaye to let her daughter die.
On one chilling occasion, somebody even tried to taking actions into their own hands.
Kaye received a call on December 26, 1981, from a mystery person who said they were going to put the comatose girl out of her misery.
A few hours later, three bullets were fired into the family home.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt - but it was a terrifying ordeal for the family.
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Edwarda slipped away at her family home on November 21, 2012, at the age of 59.
Thousands of people continued to visit the O'Bara home in the wake of her death - drawn by the extraordinary tale of undying love and commitment.
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