Episode 20: Inheriting a life threatening condition, and a life with death in mind: Celeste’s Story

Sep 29

This episode was recorded as part of a series for my End of Life class in my Masters in Social Work program.

Celeste shares her story of losing her dad on New Years Day at the tender age of five years old. Adding even more depth and complexity to her story, she learns she has inherited the same rare blood disorder that killed him, and thus faces her own mortality as she navigates life. These two enormous hurdles in life feel daunting to me, but she approaches the conversation with such ease, and calm, and gentleness.

Our discussion ranges from talking about her vivid memories of early childhood with her dad’s condition and passing, to how her curiosity and self empowerment lead her to make brave and spontaneous choices in everyday life. We also touch on the beautiful truth about how our biggest struggles become our strengths, our opportunities to grow and help others.

We also talked about how even big events like the loss of a parent can go un-talked about, and when I asked for a photo, Celeste said she wasn’t sure she had access to many. And she was delighted to find some pictures from Christmas with her and her father together! I’m grateful she was willing to share them here too.