To my daughters —you are the brightest parts of my story. Your love, patience, and laughter have carried me through more than you’ll ever know. Thank you for forgiving my imperfections and loving me anyway.

To my family —thank you for loving me through every chapter of this life. Your presence, grace, and humor gave me the strength to keep going.

To Kathy and Larry —thank you for opening your home to me after the accident, and for continuing to support me throughout my life. You gave me safety, stability, and love—and even introduced me to Doug. I will never forget what you’ve given me.

Robyn, Paula and Lorry —what began as friendship became sisterhood. You stood beside me through the hardest chapters and the healing ones. We laughed, cried, and rebuilt together, piece by piece.

To Jacki —thank you for nudging me gently, and persistently, to put my story down in words. Your encouragement lit the spark that became this book.

To Doug —thank you for reading every word with the patience of a saint, for editing with a sharp eye and a full heart, and for picking up the slack at home so I could write. This book is ours in more ways than one.

And to every reader who picks up these pages—thank you. If even one sentence helps you feel less alone, more seen, or more hopeful, then every hard-earned word was worth it.