Linguist, lexicographer, radio host, public speaker

Childhood death is completely invisible. People don’t want to be reminded of it

“No one at the hospital could bear to discuss death with Liza Lister. She had pressed her doctors: ‘What will happen when I die? How will I know I’m dying?’ Her oncologist promised to let her know when death was imminent. But on the final night, as she lay in her mother’s arms next to her father and older sister, and everyone knew the end was near, Liza asked, ‘Why didn’t the doctor call to tell me?’”

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Grant Barrett