Sanjay Gupta Chokes Up During Heartbreaking Tribute to Charlotte Figi: ‘She Lived Her Short Life to the Fullest’
Dr. Sanjay Gupta could not hold back his tears during a tribute to 13-year-old Charlotte Figi, who passed away earlier this week from pneumonia, which was likely caused by the coronavirus.
Figi had a rare form of epilepsy that only responded to the use of medical marijuana, and her success with the drug ultimately sparked the now-widespread usage of CBD.
Gupta felt a special connection with Figi, as he was once skeptical of the use of cannabis as legitimate medicine, but became a convert after meeting the young girl whose seizures miraculously stopped after CBD treatment.
“She set me on a journey throughout the world to visit the scientists, the researchers and the countless patients just like her,” Gupta wrote in a tribute for CNN. “She inspired me to dig deeper and not simply dismiss this plant as I had done in the past. She made me smarter, more informed and more thoughtful.”
During his video tribute, which aired Thursday on CNN’s New Day, Gupta explained that he generally does not develop close relationships with his patients, but “with little Charlotte Figi, that was impossible.”
“She just had this way about her. That smile, that giggle, that just got you and captured your heart,” Gupta added.
“Charlotte Figi was the entire CBD movement wrapped up into a sweet little girl with a big smile and an even bigger heart,” he continued. “Charlotte lived her short life to the fullest, and while she was almost this mythical miracle, she was also just a little girl who loved to go tandem biking with her mom.”
“And while the last month was not easy, she had symptoms of Covid-19 while never testing positive, she eventually developed pneumonia, which once again released her seizures,” Gupta explained. “Her mother Paige says Charlotte was still smiling and happy until the very end.”
After showing the touching tribute, New Day’s Alisyn Camerota teared up and commented on how powerful Figi’s story is.
“I have to say, I think one of the most meaningful legacies that someone can have, is to change. Either to change one person, or in the case of Charlotte, to change the world,” co-anchor John Berman remarked. “And Sanjay, I get the sense, you know, this is about cannabis specifically, but it feels to me, listening to you and watching you throughout the years with her, it was more than just about science with Charlotte.”
“It was, it’s hard to talk about. I don’t know what to say, you just get close,” a choked-up Gupta replied. “I got three daughters, they were asking me last night, ‘how could this happen,’ I don’t know.”
Watch above, via CNN.
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