13.02.2025 16:51
Edwarda O'Bara, known as America's 'Sleeping Beauty,' had a tragic life due to a 42-year coma she entered at a young age and never woke up from. Her family fought hard to ensure Edwarda could continue to live. After suffering a sudden bout of pneumonia in 1970, Edwarda became seriously ill, had a bad reaction to the medication she received, and lost consciousness.
The life of Edwarda O'Bara, known as America's "Sleeping Beauty," took a tragic turn when she fell into a 40-year coma at a young age and never woke up.
While Edwarda remained completely unconscious for 42 years, her family fought hard to keep her alive. However, before falling into a coma, she left one last message that would change her family's life.
Before the tragedy struck in 1970, Edwarda was a popular and cheerful schoolgirl in Miami. Until the age of 16, she led a normal life with her loving parents, Kaye and Joe, and her sister Colleen, with whom she was very close.
Her favorite song was "Bobby's Girl" because it reminded her of the boy she had a crush on with the same name. Bobby continued to be a part of Edwarda's life for decades and visited her often - but Edwarda was never aware of it.
Edwarda became seriously ill after a sudden bout of pneumonia and had a bad reaction to the medication she received. Her family said she "woke up shaking and in great pain because the insulin she received couldn't reach her bloodstream."
When Joe returned from fishing and entered his daughter's room, he saw that her legs were covered with "sugar lumps" under the skin.
Colleen recalls that moment: "My sister was screaming. I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad started rubbing her legs to get the sugar flowing. He hugged her, and we rushed to the hospital immediately."
The family arrived at the hospital at 2 a.m. on January 3, 1970 - the 22nd wedding anniversary of Joe and Kaye.
Before losing consciousness, Edwarda looked at her mother and said, "Promise me you won't let go."
Her mother replied, "Of course I won't let go. I will never leave you, my love."
And she kept her promise.
Kaye endured a grueling daily routine, sleeping only 90 minutes a day to be able to care for her daughter for the rest of her life.
Her determination to keep her daughter at home led to spending large sums of money on medical expenses, and by 2007, she was $200,000 in debt.
Kaye never left Edwarda's side until she passed away at the age of 80 on March 7, 2008. Throughout the decades of this painful process, Kaye always held onto the hope that her daughter would recover.
Joe died of a heart attack in 1977 under the stress of working three jobs to pay for his daughter's medical expenses.
When Kaye died, Edwarda's sister Colleen quit her job to take over as a full-time caregiver in place of their mother.
Colleen selflessly said, "I didn't think twice. She's my sister. And I love her."