An Uncomplicated Life: A Father's Memoir Of His Exceptional Daughter

(Paperback)

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A fathers exhilarating and funny love letter to his daughter with Down syndrome whose vibrant and infectious approach to life has something to teach all of us about how we can better live our own.

Jillian Daugherty was born with Down syndrome. The day they brought herhome from the hospital, her parents, Paul and Kerry, were flooded with worryand uncertainty, but also overwhelming love, which they channeled to the job ofbuilding the better Jillian. While their daughter had special needs, they refused toallow her to grow up needyExpect, Dont Accept became their mantra. Little didthey know how ready Jillian was to meet their challenge.

Paul tells stories from Jillians mischievous childhood and moves to her early adulthood,tracing her journey to find happiness and purpose in her adult life, sharingendearing anecdotes as well as stories about her inspiring triumphs. Having graduatedfrom high school and college, Jillian now works to support herself, and has met thelove of her life and her husband-to-be, Ryan.

In An Uncomplicated Life, the parent learns as much about life from the child as thechild does from the parent. Through her unmitigated love for others, her sparklingcharisma, and her boundless capacity for joy, Jillian has inspired those around her tolive better and more fully. The day Jillian was born, Paul says, was the last bad day.As he lovingly writes, Jillian is a soul map of our best intentionsa model of grace,boundless joy, and love for all of us.

Reviews

"Raw, real, touching and poignant--everything a memoir should be." -- Huffington Post

"An expressive, nostalgic series of memories of living life with a special needs child." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Affecting. ... This feel-good memoir will appeal to all parents of children with special needs." -- Booklist

Author Bio

Paul Daugherty has been a sports columnist for the Cincinnati Enquirer since 1994. He has covered nearly every major American sporting event, as well as five Summer Olympic Games. He is the author of Fair Game, a collection of his sports columns, and coauthor of books with Chad Johnson and Johnny Bench. He blogs daily at The Morning Line on Cincinnati.com. He lives in Loveland, Ohio, with his wife, Kerry.