Claire Wineland was originally only supposed to live until her 10th birthday. But, at 20 — a decade past that marker — her life expectancy continues to increase, as does her passion for living.
Wineland, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, recently revealed how she stays so upbeat and content, despite her struggles, which include a near-death experience at age 13 age around 35 surgeries.
All that aside, Wineland has “thoroughly enjoyed” her life thus far.
“It’s not normal to have nearly died like four times,” she said in a recent Pop Sugar video. “I kind of gave up on trying to make my life something that other people thought was normal.”
It was after her near-death experience that Wineland said she realized she had something to offer: knowledge about what she and others suffering from her disease face on a daily basis.
“I had a whole near-death experience when I was 13, was in a coma for a few weeks,” she explained in the video. “It was crazy.”
So, she launched Claire’s Place Foundation, an organization that helps families grappling with cystic fibrosis.
In the end, Wineland has decided to devote her life to helping people find purpose and joy despite their struggles. Watch her share her amazing philosophy on life below: