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Writer Beechum recounts the years spent with her daughter Cheryl and the years she endured after Cheryl's passing, melding motherly grief with admirable family cohesion. Cheryl Jean was her fourth child, with an older sister and two older brothers. There were striking aspects to the young girl's life, including her many hobbies and her wish to be in the limelight of entertainment and group activity.
One noticeable trait was her insistence on adopting and caring for cats and dogs. In her early teens, she took dancing and acting lessons, performing in local and farther-reaching events. With her cheery attitude and shimmering, almost white, blond hair, she entered and won beauty pageants. Struggling with persistent, seemingly minor health difficulties, she remained, overall, Beechum declares, "loving, dedicated, talented, imaginative, creative, emotional, wild, and crazy."
Then came the phone call, informing Beechum that Cheryl was in the hospital, struggling for her life after a horrific auto accident. For days, Beechum and her other children stood vigil. One day, the waiting was over: Cheryl's brainwaves were no longer functioning, and Beechum had to make the decision to allow the cessation of her daughter's struggle. The donation of the young woman's organs seemed fitting, since, as Beechum states, "Cheryl was a very giving person in life."
Beechum, who had a career in police work, was assisted in arraying her memories by Cheryl's older sister, Coral, and her grandson, Geoffrey. Her poignant recollections include dreams, visions, and natural motherly pangs over the years since her loss. She includes affectionate and insightful contributions by family members. These are especially touching since, even now, Beechum still has potent reminders of her cherished daughter. She hopes that her account will offer comfort to those facing similar griefs, as well as allow her to place her own sorrows in finer perspective.
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