American writer Joan Didion (1931-2021) and her husband John Gregory Dunne adopted a daughter in 1966. They named their daughter Quintana Roo Dunne.

In 2003, Quintana Roo Dunne developed pneumonia which became septic shock. She was in an intensive-care unit when John Dunne died at the end of the year. Didion delayed his funeral for around 3 months until Quintana was well enough to attend. However, after the funeral, Quintana had a fall & required brain surgery.

Quintana died of acute pancreatitis on 26 August 2005. She was only 39 years of age.

Joan Didion wrote about her daughter’s death in Blue Nights (2011)