Mother Dies From Cigarette Abuse, Son Writes Angry Obituary
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The death of a Bensenville mother and grandmother has prompted an obituary of grief and anger.
"On January 11, at the age of 71, Laura Jean Konrath lost her battle with cigarettes."
Joe Konrath reads the obituary he wrote for his mother, who, he said, chose cigarettes over living a longer life. WBBM's Steve Miller reports.
"They took her life after four strokes, two heart attacks, blockage in three coronary arteries, occlusions that cut off circulation in both legs..."
Konrath said after his mother's death, there has been crying, depression and anger. Because he said his mother never tried to quit smoking.
"I wrote that obituary in the hope that someone would see it and it would make a difference for them," Konrath said. "Because it didn't make a difference for Mom."
The last line of Laura Jean Konrath's obituary reads: "Show this obituary to a smoker that you care about."