Bronnie Ware

Bronnie Ware is an Australian author, best known for her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing. In this book, she shares her unique perspective gained through her experience of providing hospice care to the terminally ill. She has also written several other books, including The Top Five Regrets of the Living and Welcome to the Great Mystery - Life's Queer Journey.

Bronnie Ware was born in Brisbane, Australia in 1967. She studied music, graduating with a degree in music and education in 1987. She worked as a singer and music teacher in various schools before starting her own small business in 2003.

It was while she was running her small business that she first encountered death directly. In 2004, she was asked to care for an elderly woman in a nearby hospice who was expected to pass away. Through her time with this woman, Bronnie Ware realized that she wanted to dedicate her life to caring for those in the final stages of life.

In 2006, she underwent extensive training to become a certified Hospice Care Professional. From 2006 to 2011, she worked as a volunteer at a local hospice facility in Australia, as well as other hospices in the United States and United Kingdom. While in hospice care, Bronnie Ware noticed that people often have regrets as they near death, and she observed that these regrets seemed to share commonalities.

It was this experience that inspired her to write her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing. Published in 2012, this book quickly became a best-seller, and all proceeds from the book, as well as royalties, are donated to end-of-life hospice charities.

In her book, Bronnie Ware recounts many of the conversations she had with her patients, sharing stories and anecdotes about their thoughts and feelings as they faced death. Many of the regrets Ware writes of in her book are related to how the people she cares for view their lives. Common themes include not living more authentically, not having the courage to express their true feelings, and not spending enough time with their loved ones.

With a compassionate and understanding touch, Bronnie Ware encourages readers to identify and address their regrets before it's too late. She teaches readers to appreciate and accept the fullness of life and its uniqueness, while being mindful of how their choices can shape their life and their legacy. In her words, “We may not always know who we are going to be, but we can choose who we want to be.”

In addition to The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, Bronnie Ware has written several other books about death and living. She also founded the Bronnie Ware Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing end-of-life care and helping people live each day to the fullest, in order to reduce people's regret in their final days.

Bronnie Ware's life is a testament to the power of our thoughts and actions in shaping our lives. Through her writings and mission, Bronnie Ware has shown that living each day with intention, appreciation, and courage can help us live more fulfilling lives.