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| Edythe Kirchmaier |
I was cleaning up my emails when I noticed this fascinating article about Edythe Kirchmaier, who is 105 and who recently passed her drivers test. Kirchmaier is the oldest person with a drivers license in California. This article was written by Eric Pfeiffer and published on Yahoo News on January 28, 2013 under the title: 105-year-old woman renews drivers license.
My work with the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is constantly being challenged by philosophical points of view, such as: "Tired of Living" or other attitudes that disrespect elderly people within society. I advocate for the promotion of what people can do, rather than what they cannot do. Good for you Edythe.
105-year-old woman renews drivers license
Eric Pfeiffer, Yahoo News - January 28, 2013
There apparently isn’t much that can slow down Edythe Kirchmaier. The 105-year-old California resident made headlines on Monday when she passed her driving test – continuing 86 years without a blemish on her driving record and maintaining her status as the state's oldest living driver.
"I just couldn't imagine myself without a car," Kirchmaier told FoxNews.com. "It just didn't feel very good."
And that’s far from the only bit of notoriety to crop up recently in Kirchmaier’s life. Facebook has declared her its most senior user, she's the University of Chicago's oldest living former student, last week she appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show to celebrate her birthday and she has been a volunteer with the Direct Relief International (DRI) organization for 40 years.
To honor Kirchmaier, who says she wants to use her age milestone to help inspire volunteer efforts around the world, DRI set up a Facebook app where her fans can light a virtual candle to help celebrate her 105th birthday. The page includes a short video narrated by "Glee" actress Jane Lynch and has been making the rounds on social media circles, referenced by celebrities and other notable individuals, including Victoria Justice, Ricki Martin journalist Nick Kristof and the musical band Depeche Mode.
Kirchmaier reportedly drives herself to DRI each week, where she leads a team of volunteers.
"I think I’m a pretty good driver," Kirchmaier told Fox. "I feel safe about getting my driver's license renewed because I’ve never had an accident."
This is grotesquely cruel, Alex. Just because one individual chose to live life and die naturally doesn't mean the rest of the world should be subjected to the same fate.
ReplyDeleteDear Winston: This article has nothing to do with euthanasia or assisted suicide, but rather the respect that society should have for seniors. We need to focus on what people can do, rather than what a person cannot do.
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