The Wonder of Books and Stories That Matter....Please Read This Post!

Two weeks ago, my friend Sharisse and her husband TJ went through an event that will change their lives forever.  I was so happy to see them at a football game a few days after the accident and to hear things would be okay.  

That night after we were home from Hagan's game, Sharisse, who was also one of my students several years ago, 

texted me this message.  

I have never been so moved by any other message.  I know that books and stories matter to everyone in unique and special ways.  And this story was one that I will never forget. 

She went on to share more of their story, 

While my daughter was lying hopeless after a near-drowning incident, my husband and I were grasping for anything to comfort our lifeless, sweet girl! Though she was revived, we were supposed to wait 72 hours to see if she would come back. After that we would assess the brain damage that we assumed would inevitably be present. Reading her very favorite book, which she reads multiple times a day, seemed the obvious choice to pass the time. 

Her Daddy went home that night, to stay and comfort our 3 other kids, and as soon as he got the other kids tucked safely in bed, he recorded himself reading "her" book! As I held up the recording to show our heavily sedated girl, Be a Star Wonder Woman, I sobbed and pleaded that she could be our very own Wonder Woman! 

She was prepared, she was kind, she was brave, she was honest, she was strong, she was our hero!

No book has ever described our little hero more perfectly. She had to be OKAY! We needed her in our family. She made us all better! 

As her Daddy finished and tears streamed down my face, she opened her beautiful, brown eyes for the first time since the accident! Our baby girl was ALIVE! Not only was she alive, but she had recognized these wonderful, familiar words! She opened her eyes as a request to read those words again. I played it again for her over and over that long, sleepless night (for me) as she peacefully rested. She rested peacefully knowing that she was all those things; I rested peacefully knowing that not only was she, but that she IS all those things.

Though the days were long and hard, those special words gave us hope in our darkest moments those 72 hours! This book matters! It gave a special 2 year old girl the courage to fight for her life. 

We are humbled! Only through the grace of God was our baby allowed to live with no brain damage! 

We rest easier knowing our girl IS prepared, 

she IS kind, 

she IS brave, 

she IS honest, she IS strong, 

she IS a hero! 

Thank you Michael Dahl for your inspired words. God used many people as instruments and living angels to save a precious child that dreadful day. 

You were one of them. 

Your creation helped create a real life Wonder Woman, and she is a wonder!

At the time Sharisse shared this story, she didn't know that my husband, Eric Fitzgerald, is the Vice President of Capstone.  

Michael Dahl is a close friends of ours. I shared their story with Michael and Eric.  They have shared it with our friends at Capstone, who truly does make a difference with the books they write, illustrated and publish every single day.  

And Michael, who sent me this message on Facebook, can't wait to give this to Sharisse's little girl. 

Our readers are wonders.

And to Sharisee, TJ and Rai, you taught us about being the wonder too!