Esther Earl#This Star Won't Go Out

{{Short description|American author and online personality (1994–2010)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Esther Earl

| image = Esther Earl photo.png

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Earl in 2008

| birth_name = Esther Grace Earl

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1994|8|3}}

| birth_place = Beverly, Massachusetts, US

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|8|25|1994|8|3}}

| death_place = Boston, Massachusetts, US

| death_cause = Thyroid cancer

| resting_place = Oakland Cemetery, Medway, Massachusetts

| notable_works = This Star Won't Go Out (foundation; book)

| years_active =

| occupation = {{cslist|Nerdfighter|online personality|author|internet vlogger}}

}}

Esther Grace Earl (August 3, 1994 – August 25, 2010) was an American author, internet vlogger, online personality, and Nerdfighter, as well as an activist in the Harry Potter Alliance. Prior to her death from cancer in 2010, Earl befriended author John Green, who credited her for the inspiration to complete his bestselling 2012 novel The Fault in Our Stars. In 2014, Earl's writings were compiled with her biography This Star Won't Go Out, which appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for young adult books.{{cite web|url=http://tswgo.org/esthers-story.html|title=Esther's Story|publisher=This Star Won't Go Out|access-date=July 31, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726180845/http://tswgo.org/esthers-story.html|archive-date=July 26, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2014-02-16/young-adult/list.html|title=Best sellers – February 16, 2014 – Young Adult|work=The New York Times|date=February 16, 2014|access-date=March 14, 2016}} Earl has been cited as an influential activist, with her family and online followers continuing to hold charity and fundraising events in her memory.{{cite web|last=Trufant|first=Jessica|url=https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20160829/fundraiser-in-quincy-will-help-families-with-sick-children|title=Fundraiser in Quincy will help families with sick children|work=The Patriot Ledger|date=August 29, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2020|archive-date=March 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323083218/https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20160829/fundraiser-in-quincy-will-help-families-with-sick-children|url-status=dead}}

Early life and activism

Earl was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, to Wayne and Lori Earl (née Krake), one of five siblings. The Earls, whom The Boston Globe characterizes as "self-described wanderers", moved between Saudi Arabia, Massachusetts, and France.{{cite web|last=Goldstein|first=Meredith|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2014/02/01/esther-earl-quincy-teen-inspiration-for-two-books/qnl8F2Y2z5Jk3LbG1h5xSO/story.html|title=Esther Earl, Quincy teen, is inspiration for two books|work=Boston Globe|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}} While in Massachusetts, she resided in Medway before moving with her family to North Quincy and attending North Quincy High School.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/southofboston-ledger/obituary.aspx?pid=144961689|title=Esther Grace Earl Obituary|publisher=Legacy|work=The Patriot Ledger|date=August 27, 2010|access-date=August 7, 2014}}

In 2007, Earl met John Green, and Margaret Talbot of The New Yorker states she, "was one of the earliest nerdfighters."{{cite magazine|last=Talbot|first=Margaret|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/09/the-teen-whisperer|title=The Teen Whisperer|magazine=The New Yorker|date=June 9, 2014|access-date=January 9, 2015}} Initially the two maintained an online friendship, which grew from her self-identification as a Nerdfighter, a member of Nerdfighteria, the online community of Vlogbrothers fans. Earl developed her friendship with Green upon meeting him at LeakyCon 2009, a Harry Potter conference.{{cite news|last=Earl|first=Evangeline|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/my-sister-esther-inspired-the-fault-in-our-stars-the-movie-is-her-sequel/2014/06/12/504c2ca4-efef-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html|title=My sister Esther inspired 'The Fault in Our Stars' The movie is her sequel|newspaper=Washington Post|date=June 12, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}}{{cite web|last=Jamal|first=Zakiya|url= http://www.people.com/article/esther-earl-john-green-inspiration-fault-in-our-stars-book-movie|title=Meet Esther Earl, the Brave Girl Who Inspired The Fault in Our Stars|work=People|date=June 6, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}} Following the conference, she would continue in the Nerdfighter community,{{cite web|url=http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2014/03/05/esther-earl-star|title=The Girl Who Inspired 'The Fault In Our Stars' And A Network Of Friends|publisher=90.9 wbur|work=Here and Now|date=March 5, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}} including her involvement with the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) and their winning of a $250,000 grant, after Green encouraged voters to vote "with Esther" for the HPA.{{cite news|last=Marquard|first=Bryan|url=http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2010/08/29/esther_earl_16_built_an_online_following_of_friends_as_she_battled_thyroid_cancer/?page=1|title=Esther Earl, 16; built an online following of friends as she battled thyroid cancer|work=Boston|date=August 29, 2010|access-date=July 31, 2014}}

Earl built an online presence on platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube.{{cite web|last=Moss|first=Caroline|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/esther-earl-inspired-the-fault-in-our-stars-2014-6|title=Meet The 16-Year-Old Girl Who Lost Her Battle With Thyroid Cancer — And Inspired 'The Fault In Our Stars'|work=Business Insider|date=June 7, 2014|access-date=October 28, 2014}}

Cancer and death

At the age of 12 in November 2006 in Marseille, Earl was diagnosed with metastasized papillary thyroid cancer.{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/06/13/esther-earl-real-life-hazel-grace-lancaster-inspired-the-fault-in-our-stars/|title='The Fault In Our Stars': Meet Esther Earl, Tragic Real-Life Hazel Grace|last=Cox|first=Lauren|date=June 13, 2014|work=Hollywood Life|access-date=July 31, 2014}} The following Thanksgiving in 2007, her parents sought a second opinion at Boston Children's Hospital. Earl's doctors informed her and her parents that her cancer was terminal.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Health/esther-earl-mourned-loved-strangers-years-death/story?id=17571760|title=Esther Earl Died of Cancer Two Years Ago, but Continues to Inspire Friends and Strangers Everywhere|last=Lupkin|first=Sydney|date=November 1, 2012|work=ABC News|access-date=July 31, 2014}}

She continued her online community activities until her death due to thyroid cancer on August 25, 2010. John Green, saddened by Earl's death, dedicated a eulogy in vlog format titled, Rest in Awesome, Esther.{{cite AV media|last=Green|first=John|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj96HM9kDTQ|title=Rest In Awesome, Esther|publisher=YouTube|work=VlogBrothers|date=August 27, 2010|access-date=July 31, 2014}} Earl's YouTube videos remained available for streaming following her death.

Legacy

File:Esther Earl - Nerdfighter salute.jpg salute"]]

Following her death, Earl inspired communities she participated in such as Nerdfighteria and the Harry Potter Alliance. She inspired 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 and the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute about the legacy that Esther left behind.{{cite web|url=http://www.cullmantimes.com/community/article_c248e0b8-42d3-11e4-ab82-43e9834dbc09.html|title=Wallace State to host Wayne and Lori Earl, the parents of Esther Earl, who inspired "The Fault in Our Stars"|work=Cullman Times|date=September 22, 2014|access-date=September 24, 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Shanahan|first1=Mark|last2=Goldstein|first2=Meredith|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2014/09/22/the-earls-bring-the-fault-our-stars-dana-farber/SKg8vlRCZnJAwvgxzPfxSM/story.html|title=Earls bring 'The Fault in Our Stars' to Dana-Farber|work=Boston Globe|date=September 22, 2014|access-date=September 24, 2014}} In 2015, Alba, a Quincy restaurant, held a Summer Gala fundraising event in her honor.{{cite web|last=Whitfill|first=Mary|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20150407/NEWS/150407183|title=The late Esther Earl to be honored at Quincy fundraiser|work=The Patriot Ledger|date=April 7, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2015}}

=Esther Day=

Shortly before her death, John Green uploaded I Love Hank: Esther Day 2010.{{cite AV media|last=Green|first=John|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixr4YISTmck|title=I Love Hank: Esther Day 2010|publisher=YouTube|work=VlogBrothers|date=August 2, 2010|access-date=July 31, 2014}} 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, Esther's birthday.{{cite web|last=Speller|first=Katherine|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2230441/this-star-wont-go-out-esther-day/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807081621/http://www.mtv.com/news/2230441/this-star-wont-go-out-esther-day/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2015|title=John Green And The Rest Of The Internet Are Having A Lovefest For #EstherDay — And You Should Too|publisher=MTV|date=August 3, 2015|access-date=August 25, 2015}} 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."{{cite web|last=Minzesheimer|first=Bob|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2014/07/31/the-fault-in-our-stars-by-john-green/13369515/|title=Book Buzz: John Green celebrates Esther Day|work=USA Today|date=July 31, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}} In 2014, bookstores around the United States celebrated Esther Day.{{cite web|last=Driscoll|first=Molly|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2014/0804/Inspired-by-John-Green-bookstores-celebrate-Esther-Day|title=Inspired by John Green, bookstores celebrate Esther Day

|work=The Christian Science Monitor|date=August 4, 2014|access-date=August 10, 2014}} Additionally, Green has called Esther Day, "the most important holiday in Nerdfighteria."{{cite web|last=Jaworski|first=Michelle|url=http://www.dailydot.com/society/nerdfighters-youtube-esther-day-vlogbrothers/|title=Nerdfighters come together to celebrate Esther Day|work=The Daily Dot|date=August 3, 2012|access-date=November 5, 2014}}

=This Star Won't Go Out=

{{Quote box|width=25em|align=right|quote=Esther means "star," and her friends had a bracelet printed out that reads This star won't go out, and it won't. We won't let it.|source=— John Green, 2010}}

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 donate proceeds from TSWGO merchandise sold on DFTBA.com.{{cite AV media|last=Green|first=Hank|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V-0Wwvourc|title=I Love My Brother|publisher=YouTube|work=VlogBrothers|date=August 3, 2011|access-date=July 31, 2014}}

Earl's biography, co-authored by her parents, was posthumously published under the title This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl.{{cite web|last=Minzesheimer|first=Bob|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2014/01/27/this-star-wont-go-out-by-esther-earl/4800879/|title=John Green's 'star' tells her story – posthumously|work=USA Today|date=January 27, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}} Green wrote the introduction.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/john-green-book-esther-grace-earl_n_2970100.html|title=John Green Contributes To 'This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl,' Book About Cancer Victim|work=Huffington Post|date=March 28, 2013|access-date=November 4, 2014}} The book was inspired by a promise between Earl and her father: whoever outlived the other would write about the other.{{cite web|last=Lodge|first=Sally|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/60425-this-star-won-t-go-out-celebrates-a-young-life.html|title='This Star Won't Go Out' Celebrates a Young Life|work=Publishers Weekly|date=December 17, 2013|access-date=July 31, 2014}} The book includes a collection of her journals and drawings.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Vi-an|url=http://parade.condenast.com/256468/viannguyen/tribute-to-a-teen-muse-from-fault-in-our-stars-author-john-green/|title=John Green on Esther Earl, the Girl To Who He Dedicated The Fault in Our Stars To|publisher=Condé Nast|work=Parade|date=June 9, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}}

=''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.{{cite web|last=Messer|first=Lesley|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/esther-earl-inspired-fault-stars-film/story?id=24060110|title=How Esther Earl, Who Inspired 'The Fault in Our Stars,' Would Have Liked the Film|work=ABC News|date=June 9, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2014}} Although Earl inspired the novel and the character of Hazel Grace, the novel is not intended to be biographical. Green dedicated the novel to Esther but also found inspiration through others, including his son and wife, as well as his experience as a children's hospital chaplain. 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."{{cite web|last=Green|first=John|url=http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/post/28557373623/everybody-was-told-to-make-a-funny-face-but-i|title=Everybody was told to make a funny face, but I didn't get the memo.|publisher=Tumblr|date=August 2, 2012|access-date=July 31, 2014|archive-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110162047/http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/post/28557373623/everybody-was-told-to-make-a-funny-face-but-i|url-status=dead}}

References

External links

[http://tswgo.org/ This Star Won't Go Out (TSWGO) Official Website]
[https://www.youtube.com/user/cookie4monster4/ Esther Earl's YouTube account]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuds_jCwqS8/ Esther Day 2013 video by the VlogBrothers]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swf5IrD_8s0/ USA Today video story on Esther Earl's life]

Category:1994 births

Category:2010 deaths

Category:21st-century American women

Category:21st-century American writers

Category:Activists from Massachusetts

Category:American community activists

Category:American expatriates in France

Category:American expatriates in Saudi Arabia

Category:American women video bloggers

Category:American video bloggers

Category:American YouTube vloggers

Category:Deaths from cancer in Massachusetts