On July 15, 1978, she gave me a copy of the finished work ... exactly two years after my 9-year-old brother's death. What follows is her inscription in that book and the chapters, one by one. I intend this to take the place of having the book reprinted, so that we can share it with family and friends who may have forgotten about Ricky's life.
*I am correcting some grammar that was included in the original. For example, she titled the book with the word "Awhile" rather than the phrase "A While." Small thing, but I didn't catch it the first time around.
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(inscription)
Dear Rhonda,
You are part of this story. Now that you have a child, you know what it is to invest your life in another being and what it is to love so deeply it hurts.
Perhaps when Marshall is older, he will understand about Ricky and the miracle of death.
Mom
P.S. Thanks for your help in typing the manuscript
Joyce Sawyer, July 15, 1978
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Foreword
It seems everyone is writing a book about their experiences with cancer. So who needs another book? But this isn't just any story; this is about our little boy. We want to remember his brave fight and his zest for living.
God gave us a child to take care of...for a while. This entire story is recorded exactly as it happened. All the conversations are almost word for word.
Chapter 1 to follow
