Charles Pedley had never written a book before. After witnessing a tragic love story, featuring his daughter persistence and understanding, he put pen to the paper.
“It's the story of my daughter Rebecca, who found love and lost it in a matter of months. She got married and within six months, her husband was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.”
The experience unfolded before Pedley's eyes. Vivid accounts of treatments, experimental treatments and more doctors appointments tell the story of a family learning to deal with the cards they were dealt.
Todd, Pedley's son-in-law, thought he had weathered the storm after receiving treatment at the University of Michigan. Feeling better, he began applying for jobs across the country.
He got a job preaching in Virginia and everything was looking up. The newlyweds moved down and were living happily in a small community.
“It was around Christmas in 1997 that Todd began feeling ill again. When he went to the doctor, he found out that the cancer had returned.”
Todd passed away a short time later, leaving an empty void and a grieving family behind. A short time later, Pedley put pen to paper and decided to let others know the pain eventually goes away.
“I never kept a diary through the whole process which made me hesitant to write the story,” he said. “Then I realized that I had lived it. The experience wasn't only hers, but also mine as I took him to appointments and experienced the same sense of loss when he passed.”
Rebecca then agreed to share her story about the triumphs of heartbreak. Pedley hopes the story about her first-hand experience with loss can help others dealing with similar situations.
“The book is there to bless others who've lost someone. Within two years, (Rebecca) was happily married and now has three children. ” Pedley said. “Life does go on even though sometimes you think it's not going to after the death of a loved one.”
For more information on the book visit www.joyfulmourning.com.
