Esther Grace Earl (August 3, 1994 - August 25, 2010) was an American author, internet vlogger, online personality and a Nerdfighter, as well as an activist in the Harry Potter Alliance. Prior to her death from cancer in 2010, Earl became friends with author John Green, who credited her for inspiring him to complete the novel that became 2012 bestseller The Fault in Our Stars. In 2014, Earl's writings were compiled and released as the book This Star Won't Go Out, which appeared in 2014 on the New York Times bestseller list for young adult books.
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Life
Earl was born in Beverly, Massachusetts to Wayne and Lori (née Krake) Earl, one of five siblings. The Earls, whom The Boston Globe characterizes as "self-described wanderers", moved between Saudi Arabia, Massachusetts, and France. While in Massachusetts, she originally resided in Medway before moving with her family to North Quincy and attending North Quincy High School.
At the age of 12, in November 2006, in Marseille, Esther was diagnosed with metastasized papillary thyroid cancer. The following Thanksgiving, in 2007, when Esther's parents sought a second opinion at Boston Children's Hospital, Esther's team of doctors informed her and her parents that her cancer was terminal.
2007 also marked when John Green became aware of Earl, who Margaret Talbot of The New Yorker states, "was one of the earliest nerdfighters." Originally the two maintained an online friendship. Earl would continue to develop her friendship with Green, upon meeting him at LeakyCon 2009, a Harry Potter conference. Her friendship with Green was due to her self-identification as a Nerdfighter, a member of Nerdfighteria, an online community of fans of the VlogBrothers. Following the conference, she would continue being involved with the Nerdfighter community. This included her involvement with the Harry Potter Alliance and their winning of a $250,000 grant, after Green encouraged voters to vote "with Esther" for the HPA.
Additionally, she built an online presence on platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube. She continued her community-related online activities until her death due to thyroid cancer on August 25, 2010. John Green, saddened by Earl's death, dedicated in essence, a eulogy in vlog format titled, Rest in Awesome, Esther. Earl's YouTube videos remained available to stream, following her death.
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Impact and legacy
Following her passing, Earl would inspire communities she would participate in such as Nerdfighteria and the Harry Potter Alliance. She would also inspire two books, "Esther Day", as well as the founding of a nonprofit organization. In 2014, after the release of the film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars, and Esther's novel, Esther's parents spoke at Wallace State Community College, as well as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute about the legacy which Esther left behind. In 2015, Earl continued to be remembered as Alba, a Quincy restaurant, held a Summer Gala fundraising event in her honor.
Esther Day
Shortly before her death, Green uploaded I Love Hank: Esther Day 2010. The video was uploaded in celebration of "Esther Day", a day which Earl stated she wanted to be about "family and love." Esther Day is celebrated annually on August 3, coinciding with Esther's birthday. Green has stated Earl was the one to suggest "the idea of celebrating friends and family and love," specifically, "the kinds of love that are too often overlooked in our culture: love among friends and family." In 2014, bookstores around the United States celebrated Esther Day. Additionally, Green has called Esther Day, "the most important holiday in Nerdfighteria."
This Star Won't Go Out
Following her death, Earl's parents, Wayne and Lori founded This Star Won't Go Out, a non profit organization which helps families that have cancer-stricken children. To assist the organization, the VlogBrothers give proceeds from TSWGO merchandise such as wristbands that is sold on DFTBA.com.
Additionally, Earl had her book, which was co-written with her parents, posthumously published under the title, This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl. Green contributed to the book, writing its introduction. The book's inspiration stirred from a promise between Earl and her father: whoever outlived the other would write about the other. The book is a biography of Earl's life, as well as a collection of her journals and drawings. The book was generally well received by readers, winning the 2014 Goodreads Choice Award in the "Memoir & Autobiography" category.
The Fault in Our Stars
Esther Earl inspired the character Hazel Grace Lancaster in Green's 2012 novel, The Fault in Our Stars, as well as its 2014 film adaptation. Shailene Woodley portrayed Lancaster in the novel's film adaptation. Although Earl inspired the novel, and the character of Hazel Grace, it has been made clear that Hazel Grace is not supposed to be a portrayal of Earl. Green, who dedicated the novel to Esther, found inspiration through other people, including his son and wife, as well as experiences including his time as a children's hospital chaplain. Relating to this topic, Green wrote on his Tumblr blog, "I don't want people conflating Esther with Hazel (they're very different), and it's extremely important to me that I not claim to be telling Esther's story."
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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