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91-year-old who dumped chemo for road-trip adventure dies

Inspirational road trip
Woman who took inspirational road trip dead at 91 01:57

We’re now remembering a woman from Michigan named Norma Bauerschmidt.

Norma made headlines around the world last year when she set out on an inspirational road trip. She died Friday at the age of 91. Here is her story. 

Norma Jean Bauerschmidt taught us its never to late to live life to the fullest.

At 90 years old, her husband of 67 years died and she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. So she decided to hit the road and leave surgery, chemo an grief behind.

Along with her son Tim and his wife Ramie, Norma toured the counry’s most famous sites in a motor home for more than a year.

She shared her story with CBS News’ David Begnaud last spring.

“They’ve given me a new lease on life, I should say,” Norma said. 

She says she “probably will” spend the rest of life living on the road. 

And she did.

Did she think she’d be having this much fun at 90?

“No, no,” she answered, with a laugh.

Her final stop was San Juan Island, off the coast of Washington.

Norma’s passing was announced last night with a post to the popular Facebook page that shared her adventures with the world.

This quote from a 13th century poet said it best: “Life is a balance between holding on and letting go.”

And her family writes: “Today we are letting go.”

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