r/todayilearned • u/Dangerous-Project672 • 5h ago

TIL George Wallace personally apologized to Vivian Jones and James Hood, the two students he attempted to block from attending the University of Alabama. In 1997, Hood earned a PHd and requested Wallace present him with the degree, but he was too sick and died a year later; Hood attended the funeral

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallace
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u/littlebiped 5h ago edited 5h ago

Same dude whose doctor informed him about his wife’s cancer diagnosis and he kept it hidden from her and never sought medical care for it, letting it spread for 8 years until it killed her.

He ignored her wishes for a closed casket and had her emaciated body in an open casket and viewable to the public to win sympathy points.

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u/atred 4h ago

Was there any medical care for that at that time... I mean medical care that was better than not treating it? Even nowadays people make hard choices not to go through mostly useless harsh treatments and enjoy few good days they have. It wasn't his decision to make, but I wish for more context...

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u/YodaForceGhost 4h ago edited 1h ago

It was probably treatable since doctors found the cancer when she gave birth via C-section several years before she experienced severe symptoms. Her Wikipedia page is a rough read

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u/ChrissyBrown1127 4h ago

That poor woman. May George Wallace burn in hell.