Additional information
by C. C. Gross (Author)
Rising Up...from a Long Way Down is a true story that touches the depths of our souls, proving that love conquers all and " indeed " life is beautiful if you so choose it to be. Andrew, a bright, handsome 14-year-old, falls from a 30' swing, sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In a coma for six weeks, prayers are offered for him to wake up and when he does he is terrified, scarcely able to speak or move. Barely able to hold a pencil, he frantically scratches, "Prisoner in a foreign country." This is the story of Andrew's courageous and unrelenting fight to overcome his injuries. His mother, the author C. C. Gross, is his biggest advocate, fighting the discrimination that results when Andrew re-enters the world-a world that does not understand TBI. C. C. shares her personal odyssey of this life-altering catastrophic event, and the repercussions the accident imprints on her family and their relationships. Her simple Canadian roots transform her into a warrior, uncovering guts of steel. The story is poignant and heartbreaking, yet C. C. never forgets humor as well as sensitivity and faith in God. "A journey of a family's pain and struggles in dealing with traumatic brain injury may sound like a depressing read, but author Connie Crane's story is one of hope, faith, and indomitable spirit. Her honesty and vulnerability make this account shine, and readers will be uplifted and encouraged, all the while reminding them of the preciousness of life and how love triumphs over every obstacle in its way. Rising Up . . . from a Long Way Down is a book all parents should read, to remind them to value every moment with their children, through good times and hard times." C. S. Lakin, author of CONUNDRUM
Author Biography
C.C. Gross is a registered nurse, currently working part-time in an operating room. She practices pre-op relaxation to patients, using breathing techniques, guided visual imagery and Reiki. She has taught high school health and has worked in psychiatry. In 1996, she wrote a screenplay "The Swing" that made the first round of consideration for the Sundance International Screenwriters Competition. C. C. is a member of the Canadian Association of New York and the Connecticut Press Club. She was a member of the Canadian Society of New York and served as president of the Canadian Woman's Club of New York. C.C lives in Connecticut. Her two sons live twenty minutes away on either side of her, but her daughter lives too far away in Boston.
