The birth and loss of a child bring forth every possible feeling in a family whose most enduring cohesion is their shared belief in God. Carfrey opens this homage to his granddaughter, Danielle Grace, by recounting his wife’s difficulties with pregnancy and the loss imposed on the couple by miscarriage until, at last, they were blessed with a daughter, MarySusan. She would grow up to marry Brandon, and that couple, in turn, would long for a child to raise and cherish. But pregnancy failures were heartbreaking and life-threatening. Their hopes were raised, and they rejoiced when she became pregnant again until, displaying dangerous symptoms, she was rushed to the hospital at twenty-two weeks of pregnancy. Her child, immediately named Danielle Grace by Brandon, was photographed in the arms of her mother—a tiny but beautiful infant whose sweet, delicate features gave MarySusan comfort, “Even though I knew she was already in heaven…”

Carfrey, a well-known preacher and teacher, has arranged this poignant yet inspiring account with personal input from Brandon and MarySusan, written at various stages of their harrowing experiences. The family held itself together despite the burden of their grief through an abiding, shared understanding of God’s role in their lives. Accompanying photos of the family gathered around little Danielle add an enheartening touch to their narrative. Several miraculous occurrences bolstered the family’s faith. For example, had she waited only a few more minutes to get help during her baby’s emergence, MarySusan would have died from blood loss. A very diligent and loving nurse kept her comforted and safe during the crisis, and MarySusan undeniably survived a near-death emergency. The family remains strongly bound together in love and hope to offer, through this chronicle, both religious counsel and practical suggestions for those who might be facing a similar catastrophe.

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