Julie Pierce Watie, January 13, 1968 – January 7, 2025

By Donna Smith

Julie Pierce Watie died Tuesday, January 7, 2025, while in hospice care in Kansas City, MO. She was 56 years old. Julie fearlessly shared her family’s story in Michael Moore’s 2007 award winning documentary film, SiCKO, about the U.S. healthcare system. Julie’s story anchored the film in the unimaginable inhumanity that denies life-saving treatment to patients due to insurance denials.

The first time I met Julie in person, those of us who had been featured in SiCKO we’re in New York City to see the film before the world did. I saw a small, beautiful woman sitting with a young boy alone behind where most of the rest of us were sitting during the screening. She did stay mostly to herself and even when she smiled, she had a shadow of sorrow over her somehow. The story we all learned from the film was that Julie’s husband, Tracy Pierce, Sr., had been denied a life saving treatment for his kidney cancer. Tracy, Sr., died leaving his young son, Tracy, Jr., and Julie alone. Julie tried so hard to get that treatment for her husband, and she always carried that deep grief tinged with anger and regret. She knew that insurance decision-makers were responsible for the denial, and yet she also ached for more chances to fight harder, harder – anything to save the love of her life.

From that awful time on, Julie spoke up loudly and clearly for changes to the profit-based system that killed Tracy, Sr. The inclusion of Julie and Tracy, Jr., in SiCKO elevated the film in intensity and raw honesty that shook audiences and changed hearts and minds. Julie’s selfless decision to fight on for universal, single-payer healthcare following her husband’s death undoubtedly forced changes to the system now and in the future. Tracy, Jr., was her constant companion and her everything.

During a time when we are all wondering what we might do to make this world more just and life-affirming, I think following in Julie’s courageous footsteps is a solid path. Fight to protect one another. Stand up for someone else who needs your strength. Don’t be afraid to use your story when that story can lift others. Julie knew injustice thrives in silence. She used her voice after Tracy died to fight for all of us.

On Tuesday, cancer took Julie’s life. I’ve tried so hard to wrap my mind and heart around it, and crying comes too easily. Through the day on Tuesday, each of us who shared the movie screen with Julie spread the word – Dawnelle, Donna and Larry, Reggie, Adrian, Billy, John, Lee. Our hearts broke.

May Julie rest in her Tracy’s arms forever. And may you pause for a moment and help someone around you who needs your help, your voice, your strength. For the late Julie Pierce Watie. And for her wonderful son, Tracy Pierce, Jr., who survives his parents, and his life partner, Sarah. May we love one another.

Pictured in our 5th SiCKO Anniversary in Philadelphia are Anne Moore, Molly Moore, Adrian Campbell, Larry and Donna Smith, Reggis Cervantes, Lee Einer, Julie Pierce Watie, Michael Moore, Dawnelle Keys, Tracy Pierce, Jr., Eric Weinri