News

Namesake of Charlotte’s Web dies at 13

Published on April 8, 2020 by oz. staff

Photo: Contributed

A young girl whose medical struggles became a rallying point for legalizing medical cannabis has died.

Charlotte Figi was 13.

“Charlotte is no longer suffering. She is seizure-free forever. Thank you so much for all of your love,” the family announced on Facebook.

Charlotte became known as “the girl who is changing medical marijuana laws across America.”

At three months old, she began suffering seizures from Dravet Syndrome, a severe and difficult to control type of epilepsy that causes prolonged seizures.

The high-CBD, low-THC cannabis strain Charlotte’s Web is named after her and was created to help ease her symptoms. After taking the oil, she suffered only a handful of seizures a month.

The Colorado family was hit hard by the virus.

While most of the household recovered well from a month of being sick, Charlotte was up and down in her health. 

“We used all of our tricks the past few days but nothing worked,” said the family on April 3 from the hospital. 

“In all my years working in facilities and in the field I have never felt as helpless as I have holding her when she is seizing and these past few very tough days.”

Things seemed to turn around on April 5, when Charlotte was discharged from the hospital.

However, on April 7, the family announced she had succumbed.

The family said later that she tested negative for the virus.

In Memoriam – Charlotte Figi

Charlotte was ten feet tall and carried the world on her shoulders.

Inspiring is a lacking word, as are courageous and vivacious and strong and beautiful.

She was divine.

She grew, cultivated by a community, protected by love, demanding that the world witness her suffering so that they might find a solution. She rose every day, awakening others with her courage, and with that smile that infected your spirit at the cellular level.

The infinite compassion of community members who sacrificed their time, resources, and ideas to tend her garden of love were instrumental in her care, but there was no one more committed than the selfless Paige, both a mother and a warrior, both a human and an angel. Charlotte’s cause was her family’s cause and created a foundation of plant-based health that breathed life into their daughter, and the countless sons and daughters like her.

Charlotte, then, became everyone’s daughter or sister or friend and enlivened empathy and love from anyone who had the privilege of hearing her story, as millions did. Her story built communities, her need built hope, and her legacy will continue to build harmony.

To Paige, Matt, Greg, Max, and Chase – we are humbled by your grace, as the fruits of your kindness have fed the world with love.

She was a light that lit the world. She was a little girl who carried us all on her small shoulders.

Her legacy lives in the garden, in the blooming of ideas, in the fragrance of compassion, in the greenery of nurturing us to be better humans in all ways, always.

What began as her story, became the shared story of hundreds of thousands, and the inspiration of many millions more in the journey of their betterment.

Charlotte was and will be, the heartbeat of our passion, and the conviction that the dignity and health of a human being is their right.

Charlotte, you are the light of our lives.

Thank you for your life, your bravery, and your beautiful soul.

We love you, Charlie.

Updated: April 9 to include info from the family that Charlotte tested negative for COVID-19.