Ezra - A Mother's Portrait by Stella Elliston

Penned by his courageous mother, this is the portrait of a boy as gifted as he was challenged, and of the family that loved him. Born two months premature, Ezra suffered permanent brain damage at six days old. His parents ignored the forewarnings of doctors and welcomed their son openheartedlv into their lives, undaunted by his ongoing health issues and prepared for the fight and persistence it would take to obtain the resources his special condition depended upon during his all-too-short life. To his family and surrounding community, Ezra was an infinite treasure, a child full of wonder who demonstrated how to find joy in every moment—in Elliston's words. "For someone who could not talk or see or walk, he made a big splash." In reading Ezra's story comes the discovery of a parallel portrait, one of incredible hope and sadness, one of fierce endurance and the struggle to heal, one of beautiful motherly love. Ezra is just as much about its narrator as it is about its subject—their stories inextricably dependent upon each other. As Elliston explains, "Ezra and I are inevitably intermingled. Our boundaries blur." Lyrical prose and an ability to communicate profound emotion with vivid clarity allow this book to captivate any reader. Beyond ensuring that the memory of her beautiful son will continue to glow, Elliston's book is ultimately a reminder of the unparalleled love that exists between a parent and her child.