Thank you to Mom’s tireless caregivers over the years, who have often given solace to my father as well, especially, Laura, Millie, Tsahi, Jacob, Susie, Joanne, Herma, Mary Ann, Maria, Celina, Carissa and Greg. You have a challenging job, and you do it with patience, humor, grace, and kindness.
Thank you to our devoted lifelong family friends: Anna and Bruce, Sheelah and Bill, Jim and Betsy, Larry and Betsy. You all stepped in at crucial times, and this is your story, too. Thanks to Liz and Bill, Karen and Kelley, Robin, Ann, Terri, and Heather for your encouragement and kindness. Thank you to my amazing girlfriends, who listened and asked great questions and helped me figure out what I wanted to say over long, lingering dinners: Tracie, Sheryl, Connie, Cassidy, Nic, Jessi, Missy, Susan, Emily. I adore you. Karen Weingard, you have helped me in more ways than I can count over the years, and given me such insight. Big love and gratitude to you.
Thank you to Michael, for writing the perfect foreword. I admire and appreciate you so much. Thank you to all of the people who took time to talk to me about working with my mom: Tricia Park, Katie Hite, Laura Goodwin, Sue Matthews; and Veronique Enos, Todd Sherer, Holly Teichholt, and Debi Brooks at the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Your stories added depth and color, and helped me to see Mom in a new light. Thank you to the doctors who helped with medical information: Laurel Coleman, M.D., Eileen H. Bigio, M.D., and Mary S. Mittelmann, D.PH. Thank you to the Alzheimer’s Association for being a fantastic resource, especially to Ruth Kolb Drew, Mary Ann Urbasich, Kate Meyer, and Angela Geiger. Thank you to Sarah Smith and Redbook for helping me get my message out into the world for the first time, and to Jill Herzig for suggesting I go further with a book.
Thank you to Mary Ellen, Wade, Amy, Meghan, Sandy, and Susan for being brave early readers of the manuscript. Your insights, helpful criticism, and encouragement helped shape this book and kept me going. Thanks to Chris, Barry, Liz, and J. Karen for sharing your experiences. Thanks Sampson Brueher, for helping me through my computer woes. Bill Simmons and Kendal Marcy, thanks for always answering my texts and emails.
Thank you to Michelle Bega for championing every part of this project, from weighing in on the manuscript to helping me get permissions. You are a treasure. Thank you Anna Holbrook, John Shannon, Lara Porzak, Ben Enos, Jim Shea, and Mandy Johnson for capturing beautiful moments in time with your cameras. And to Sandy Lawrence, Leonard Cohen, Kelley Lovelace, and Brad Paisley for your lovely lyrics.
Thanks to everyone at Link Entertainment, especially Brian Wilkins and Ryan Bundra, for following through and actually making this happen. And to Katherine Latshaw at Folio Literary Management, who offered honesty and encouragement and taught me about the complexities of publishing. Thank you to Joyce Deprest and Harley Neuman, for always having my back.
Many thanks to my fantastic team at Penguin Random House: Molly Stern, Annsley Rosner, Tricia Boczkowski, Jenni Zellner, Tammy Blake, Ellen Folan, Julie Cepler, Gianna Antolos, Courtney Snyder, Cindy Berman, Anna Thompson, and Christopher Brand. Special thanks to my excellent editor, Amanda Patten, who patiently walked me through this process and who imparted wise and insightful suggestions.
Last, thanks to Brad, Huck, and Jasper for your encouragement, enthusiasm, patience, and humor. I love you three guys like crazy. You are one big God wink. And you are where the light especially gets in.
—KWP
Photo Credits
this page: Lara Porzak; this page: Lara Porzak; this page: ©1991 Touchstone Pictures; this page: Mandy Johnson; this page: Anna Holbrook.
All other photos courtesy of the author.
Song Credits
Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following:
Sandra Lawrence: Lyrics from “When I’m Gone” by Sandra Lawrence. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Sandra Lawrence.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC: Lyrics from “Anthem” by Leonard Cohen, copyright © 1992 by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC: Lyrics from “Part Two” by Brad Paisley, Kelley Lovelace, Sea Gayle Music and Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, copyright © 2001 by Brad Paisley, Kelley Lovelace, Sea Gayle Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC.
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Where the Light Gets In Page 19