Known by his middle name, Wade, 16-year-old Lucius Wade Edwards was the eldest of four children born to Elizabeth (nee Anania) Edwards, and former US Senator from North Carolina John Edwards, 2004 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee, and Presidential contender in the 2008 primaries. The teenager was killed enroute to his family's beach house in Wilmington, NC, when high winds caused the Jeep he was driving to overturn. The tragic accident, which did not involve carelessness or substance abuse of any kind, cut short a life which seemed to hold great promise. Born in Nashville, TN, Wade was two years old when the Edwards family moved to Raleigh, NC, where he later attended the city's public schools. Universally popular and excelling in both academics and sports, he was an exceptionally talented writer, winning recognition from both the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Voice of America for his essay on voting rights. A standout on the soccer field and the basketball court, his accomplishments also included the climbing of Africa's Mt. Kilamanjaro. Wade's idealism and determination ultimately inspired his father to enter national politics, and his mother to actively campaign for her husband despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time of their son's death in 1996, the couple commissioned sculptor Robert Mihaly to create the dramatic monument which now marks his grave: a 10 ft. tall angel cradling a likeness of his face. They also established a memorial scholarship in his honor. In addition to his parents, Wade's survivors at the time of his death included his younger sister, Cate. Two more children, Emma Claire and Jack, were born to his parents after his passing. (Bio by Nikita Barlow)
Known by his middle name, Wade, 16-year-old Lucius Wade Edwards was the eldest of four children born to Elizabeth (nee Anania) Edwards, and former US Senator from North Carolina John Edwards, 2004 Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee, and Presidential contender in the 2008 primaries. The teenager was killed enroute to his family's beach house in Wilmington, NC, when high winds caused the Jeep he was driving to overturn. The tragic accident, which did not involve carelessness or substance abuse of any kind, cut short a life which seemed to hold great promise. Born in Nashville, TN, Wade was two years old when the Edwards family moved to Raleigh, NC, where he later attended the city's public schools. Universally popular and excelling in both academics and sports, he was an exceptionally talented writer, winning recognition from both the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Voice of America for his essay on voting rights. A standout on the soccer field and the basketball court, his accomplishments also included the climbing of Africa's Mt. Kilamanjaro. Wade's idealism and determination ultimately inspired his father to enter national politics, and his mother to actively campaign for her husband despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time of their son's death in 1996, the couple commissioned sculptor Robert Mihaly to create the dramatic monument which now marks his grave: a 10 ft. tall angel cradling a likeness of his face. They also established a memorial scholarship in his honor. In addition to his parents, Wade's survivors at the time of his death included his younger sister, Cate. Two more children, Emma Claire and Jack, were born to his parents after his passing. (Bio by Nikita Barlow)
