Five Hours
by Lucinda Weatherby
A mother's "powerful and enlightening" memoir of losing a newborn to a rare genetic disorder, and the journey from grief to healing (Pamela Colloff, Texas Monthly). Lucinda Weatherby's son Theo was born with trisomy 13, a rare chromosomal disorder with fatal birth defects. Rather than take extraordinary steps to prolong what would have been a short and painful life, Lucinda and her husband made the decision to let Theo go. In this brave and beautiful memoir, Lucinda tells the story of Theo's life—a life that was bathed in the love of the family members and close friends who gathered in the predawn hours to welcome him and then say goodbye—and the profound sense of grace his existence bestowed upon all of those he touched. Five Hours is also the story of a mother who is forced to confront every parent's most terrifying fear: losing a child. With unflinching honesty and eloquence and even humor, Lucinda chronicles Theo's...