Seawright: A Tribute to Sarah Weddington

Sarah Weddington, the attorney who argued and won the Roe v. Wade case before the Supreme Court, died at her home in Austin, TX on Sunday, December 26, 2021. Weddington was a former assistant to President Jimmy Carter and the first woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving for three terms.

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright offered a tribute to Weddington, a former employer, mentor and close family friend.

“The nation has truly lost one of its most iconic sheroes through the passing of Sarah Weddington, Esq. ... I was blessed to serve first as an intern in Washington D.C. with Sarah; then as her assistant; and finally as the great friend of a lifetime.

“Following her victory in the Roe vs Wade case before the U.S. Supreme Court — where at the time she was the youngest attorney to win a decision — I accompanied her to numerous speeches and conferences. Sarah joined my husband Jay Hershenson and me in performing our wedding ceremony and remained a highly valued member of our family.

“When I lived in Texas, we would take long walks around Town Lake in Austin. One morning, we encountered a homeless man. She was wearing a burgundy coat with perfectly matching gloves. He was shivering and asked if she had a spare pair of gloves. Sarah instantly removed her own gloves, handed [them] over and we went on our way. This was the kindness that I constantly saw in Sarah. along with her persistent activism on behalf of women’s rights.”