dana l. wood

“We went about our daily lives as normally as possible but when it came down to the fighting, we maintained our quiet yet tenacious determination.” And so begins the tragic but inspiring saga of 12-year-old Darah Joseph, a top-flight competitive athlete who developed Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that afflicts children and young adults. Her brave and positive outlook carried her through multiple chemotherapy rounds, an amputation and then back into athletics and training for the Paralympics. This gripping and emotional memoir, written by Darah’s mother, chronicles a painful and very courageous two-year journey that ended in physical death while opening a door to the spirit world in the afterlife. Darah’s mother writes, “there are no coincidences.” As family and friends opened their hearts to Darah’s spiritual presence, her spirit gives clear and loving signs — including dozens of feathers — that she is at peace in a good place. If you’ve ever wondered about the afterlife and whether there is one, Darah’s story will make you a warmly assured believer.