I was saddened to learn that Medora Colberg, a longtime Malibu community member, recently passed away. Medora was one of the most positive, spunky and courageous people I had the pleasure to know. My first memories of Medora date back 46 years. I, as an adolescent, spent much of my life in her home in Malibu, as I was close friends with her youngest daughter, Kristine. Her house was filled with warmth, laughter and the aroma of delicious food.
It wasn’t until later, as a young adult, that I witnessed her courage. Her daughter, Karen, was in a serious automobile accident on her wedding night. The accident left her in a coma for over a year. During the time when Karen was in the hospital in Santa Monica, Medora made the trip to visit her daughter with lunch in hand, every day. She never gave up. It was that determination that eventually brought Karen out of the coma.
She insisted, when Karen wasn’t responding, on bringing her home. Medora discovered that the hospital was underfeeding her. Through Medora’s home cooking and her knowledge of nutrition, Karen regained consciousness. This was during a time period when patients and families didn’t challenge physicians. I always used to tease her that it was her split pea soup that pulled Karen out of the coma. In reality, it was in part due to Medora’s terrific cooking, and the laughter and upbeat attitude in her home. It was mostly, though, due to her persistence. Medora never complained about the ordeal afterwards. She handled that difficult situation with dignity.
During that time, Medora was always smiling, and maintained her positive attitude. Twenty years later she called me at the hospital where I worked. She asked me about a program that would help Karen with her speech. She still had maintained her positive attitude, and never gave up on her daughter. What impressed me most about Medora was her compassion, and the grace she displayed when playing the hand she was dealt in life, no matter how difficult. She was a model of courage, and I feel lucky to have known her.
Carolyn Cunningham