Two weeks before Christmas 2001 Loretta Goebel was a stay at home wife and
mother, wrapping Christmas gifts, she knocked her hand on a banister as she
rushed to the door. This innocuous injury ultimately lead to the amputation of
both of Loretta’s legs, her left hand and most of the fingers on her right hand.
Anyone facing these life-altering circumstances might have let it define them, not Loretta, her fierce independence and resilience helped her return to living the best life she can.
These turn of events result in an unlikely friendship with Heather Mills and Paul McCartney, who were instrumental in assisting Loretta to obtain suitable prosthetic limbs.
I sat down and read this book in one sitting, I was awed by the sheer determination and
resilience shown by Loretta. It made me laugh and cry in turn. When I finished
reading my first thought was that I don’t have much to complain about in my life.
The thing that remained with me after I had finished reading was Loretta’s motto: “If you didn’t know my story, you wouldn’t know my loss.” I found this a very poignant statement, we can never truly know what another person has lost. Though Loretta’s loss was devastating, she did not let it define her, instead she has gone on to rebuild her life and help others. Loretta is an inspiration.
This copy was provided by Stonebrook Publishing for review.
The Reading Room 