FAQ's About A Life Returned

What is A Life Returned about?

A Life Returned is the story of what happened after my life changed in ways I never could have imagined. It’s about surviving COVID, spending seven months on life support, receiving a double lung transplant, and learning how to live again. More than anything, it’s a story about resilience, faith, family, and second chances.

Why did you write this book?

I wrote A Life Returned because some stories should not stay silent. What happened to me changed everything — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I wanted to tell the truth about what my family and I lived through and, hopefully, offer hope to anyone facing a battle of their own.

Is this website only about the book?

No. It's only recently that I've been able to talk about my journey. What I went through was traumatic and took years for me to have the courage to relive and write about what happened. All of this takes place from April 2021 through September 2023. The book is a big part of it, but this site is also a place where I can share more of the journey — photos, videos, reflections, moments that didn’t make it into the book, and life after survival. I hope that it gives people a fuller picture of what recovery and second chances really look like.

Who is this story for?

This story is for anyone who has ever had a life change in an instant. Patients, caregivers, transplant families, medical teams, people walking through fear or recovery, and anyone who needs a reminder that even in the hardest moments, hope can still exist.

Do you speak openly about ECMO, transplant, and recovery?

Yes. And without trying to make it prettier than it was. I talk about the fear, the uncertainty, the setbacks, the faith it took to keep going, and the reality that surviving was only the beginning. Recovery is not one moment. It is a long road, and I try to honor that truth.

Are the photos in the Gallery part of the book?

Some are connected to moments in the book, but many are included here because not everything fits on a page. The Gallery is meant to show the human side of the journey — the hard days, the small wins, the people who carried me, and the life that slowly came back.