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A letter from Barack Obama

Here is your feel-good story of the day...

Spokane resident Janet Westbrook died of cancer Oct. 27. One of her dying wishes was to vote for Obama before she passed. Her wish came true--her ballot came before her death--and you can read the story here by SR staff writer Jim Camden.

Thanks to the Internet, a picture of the South Hill resident holding her ballot reached way beyond Spokane, prompting words of encouragement from as far away as Germany. The notes kept coming even after her death on Oct. 27. Last Friday, her husband Tom Westbrook opened an envelope from an unfamiliar Chicago address, and was stunned.

Watch here to listen to her husband read a thank you letter from Obama himself. This video diary was created by SR photographer Jesse Tinsley.

Have a hankie handy. It's pretty incredible.

QUESTION: What would be your dying wish?


In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.