Melissa's Gift

Endorsements

"Melissa's Gift is an unflinching first-person account of a man's fight for the love and life of a daughter he never knew until she was 11 years old. The girl's chronic illness, their differing cultures and languages, and her resistance to her father after finding him barely begin to describe the plot of this remarkable story. The author has the gift of allowing us to feel like intimate witnesses to his dramatic and poignant interactions with his daughter. Melissa's Gift reminds us that love involves risks. As a physician I am well acquainted with the courage and love of parents for their children, but rarely have I encountered a story like this, told with such raw emotion and power."
—Alfredo Vigil, M.D., FAAFP, Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health

"A compelling story about a father's love for his Costa Rican child, how it sears his heart and brings forth the best in him. Readers of all cultures will resonate with the many scenes of love's joys and sorrows found in this beautiful book."
—Judy Richardson, Founder and President, Global Education Fund

"Melissa's Gift is a thrilling, soul-searching, roller coaster ride, a combination adventure/love/search for meaning/grief and recovery story. The author and his daughter—against great obstacles—never give up their dreams and in the end inspire us to love more deeply. This book is a must read for every daughter, every father, for everyone who loves at all."
—Isabel Stenzel Byrnes, MSW, MPH, co-author of "The Power of Two."