Outskirts Press, INC.

I was married the first time for 36 years to a Cuban conga player from Cuba who was very influential in bringing the rhythm section to the big bands. It was called Latin Jazz. We had four children in four years and lived in Hermosa Beach, California. I worked in the retail industry and also became a Realtor, which I loved. Then in 1996 my husband died of a heart attack. I then became very involved in my church and went to Malawi, Africa, with a non-profit organization called Water Wells for Africa to dedicate water wells to various villages, and this became the best and most meaningful time of my life. The villagers no longer had to walk six hours a day to get contaminated water from a sinkhole. What a blessing to know that after receiving clean water the villages no longer even knew what cholera was. Thank God I was able to have this experience before I had my stroke. After 12 years I met Tom and we were married in Maui on the beach. The next year we were planning on going back for our anniversary, but I had my massive stroke and spoiled everything. Oh, well, life goes on, and my husband turned out to be a loving caregiver who absolutely adored me—disability and all.