Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 24 OctOber 2018

Sandra Day O'Connor announces likely Alzheimer's diagnosis

By JESSICA GRESKO O'Connor's departure from
Associated Press the court and her replace-
WASHINGTON (AP) — San- ment by Justice Samuel
dra Day O'Connor, the first Alito moved the court to
woman on the Supreme the right, and O'Connor
Court, announced Tuesday wasn't always happy with
in a frank and personal let- the court's direction after
ter that she has been diag- she left.
nosed with "the beginning Asked at a 2009 event how
stages of dementia, prob- she felt about the court re-
ably Alzheimer's disease." treating from or undoing
The 88-year-old said doc- rulings she was instrumental
tors diagnosed her some in shaping, she responded:
time ago and that as her "What would you feel? I'd
condition has progressed be a little bit disappointed.
she is "no longer able to par- If you think you've been
ticipate in public life." After helpful, and then it's dis-
her 2006 retirement from mantled, you think, 'Oh,
the high court O'Connor dear.' But life goes on. It's
had appeared around the not always positive."
country championing an In retirement O'Connor was
educational organization an enthusiastic advocate
she founded and serving for iCivics, an organization
as a visiting appeals court she founded that promotes
judge, among other activi- civic education in schools
ties. But she stopped speak- In this Sept. 17, 2014 file photo, retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor speaks through free, educational
ing publicly more than two during a lecture, in Concord, N.H. online games. O'Connor
years ago. Associated Press wrote Tuesday that she
"While the final chapter of felt strongly about working
my life with dementia may O'Connor also said that deciding vote in important zona state senate before to advance civic learn-
be trying, nothing has di- hip issues have meant his cases, providing the crucial becoming a judge. ing and engagement "be-
minished my gratitude and mother now primarily uses a fifth vote when the court di- O'Connor was 51 when she cause I've seen first-hand
deep appreciation for the wheelchair and stays close vided 5-4. On the Supreme was confirmed 99-0 to the how vital it is for all citizens
countless blessings in my to her home in Phoenix. Court, her votes were key Supreme Court. She was 75 to understand our Constitu-
life," she wrote. She added: O'Connor wrote that since in cases about abortion, when she announced her tion and unique system of
"As a young cowgirl from "many people have asked affirmative action and retirement from the court in government, and partici-
the Arizona desert, I never about my current status campaign finance as well 2005. Her decision to step pate actively in their com-
could have imagined that and activities" she wanted as the Bush v. Gore deci- down was influenced by a munities."
one day I would become to be "open about these sion effectively settling the decline in the health of her "There is no more impor-
the first woman justice on changes." 2000 election in George W. husband, John O'Connor tant work than deepening
the U.S. Supreme Court." O'Connor was a state Bush's favor. III, who himself had been young people's engage-
O'Connor's announcement court judge before being O'Connor grew up on a diagnosed with Alzheimer's ment in our nation," she
of her diagnosis came a nominated to the Supreme ranch on the border of disease. wrote. Chief Justice John
day after an Associated Court in 1981 by President Arizona and New Mexico In 2007, O'Connor's fam- Roberts said in a statement
Press story in which her son Ronald Reagan, who ful- called the "Lazy B" and ily made public that John that he was "saddened to
Jay O'Connor said that his filled a campaign promise went to Stanford for col- O'Connor had struck up learn" that O'Connor "faces
mother had begun to have by nominating a woman to lege and law school. Al- a romance with a fel- the challenge of demen-
challenges with her short the high court. O'Connor's though she graduated third low Alzheimer's patient tia." "Although she has an-
term memory. The story letter Tuesday was remi- in her class from law school at the assisted living cen- nounced that she is with-
noted that O'Connor had niscent of Reagan's 1994 she had difficulty finding a ter where he had moved. drawing from public life,
stopped making public ap- letter announcing that he job as a lawyer at a time Scott O'Connor, one of the no illness or condition can
pearances and recently had Alzheimer's disease. He when there were few wom- justice's three sons, told a take away the inspiration
turned over an office she died in 2004. en in the legal profession. Phoenix television station she provides for those who
had kept at the Supreme During her more than two Despite those early chal- that his mother was "thrilled" will follow the many paths
Court to newly retired Jus- decades on the court lenges, she became the her husband was "relaxed she has blazed," Roberts
tice Anthony Kennedy. Jay O'Connor was often the first woman to lead the Ari- and happy." wrote.q