She was brave and inspiring, sharing something as personal and private as her death for the advancement of a human right.
Instead of spending her last months quietly with family and friends, she spent them in a legal battle - fighting for the right to choose how she died.
EDITORIAL: Dying wish ensures real debate
For that courageous effort, the late Wellington lawyer Lecretia Seales is the Herald's New Zealander of the Year. She died, aged 42, on June 5 from brain cancer. Her death came just days after learning she had been unsuccessful in her High Court bid for the legal right for a doctor to help her end her life. She wanted the right to not die a painful death.
As the result of the debate she prompted, Parliament began the first public inquiry into the issue of medically assisted dying.