Overview

• On NPR’s Wild Card podcast, Michelle Obama tearfully recounted her mother Marian Robinson’s final words in their Hawaii home: “Wow, this went fast,” as she reflected on life’s brevity.
• She said her mother had prepared for death yet was still struck by how swiftly a well-lived life can feel to the end.
• At 61, she said she has around 25 more summers left and plans to slow down to fully savor each moment.
• Describing her role as caregiver during her mother’s last year, she emphasized how that experience reshaped her views on mortality and purpose.
• Viral excerpts from the interview have reignited conversations on grief, the passage of time and mindful living.