Author:  Amy Racina

ISBN:  0 - 9710888 - 9 - 6

 

 

Angels in the Wilderness includes all of the essentials for a riveting story.  I couldn't put the book down.  Amy Racina tells us of her hiking adventure, of tragedy, her struggle to survive alone in the wilderness and the hardships and blessings she encounters during her rescue and recovery.

 

This book is just so beautifully written!  Amy shares with us her deepest thoughts and emotions.  She very eloquently expresses her joys, fears, desperation and most importantly her feelings of love and gratitude.  I feel we can all learn lessons from the author's experience.

 

While Amy was lying helpless in the remote wilderness ravine, many thoughts ran through her mind.  If she died...would anyone even miss her?  Would she lose her legs, which were badly mangled? Her biggest fear was that she would never be able to hike again...to be able to breathe in the natural beauty that was so much a part of her.

 

However, Amy Racina is a survivor.  She learns to divide time up into manageable steps, trying not to visualize the whole seemingly hopeless situation, but instead she would concentrate on each task at hand, no matter how small.  This is what helped her to survive a most challenging ordeal.  Just when she was feeling that she couldn't hold out any longer, angels came to her rescue.  Amy was flown by helicopter to the nearest Level 1 Trauma Center in Fresno, Cal., all the while trying not to think about the fact that she was without medical insurance.

 

 When Amy reaches the hospital she is on the verge of death, being exposed to the elements for so long and having lost a large amount of blood. Still conscious, she tries to deal with the excruciating pain of what she later finds out, are severe leg and hip injuries. She was extremely grateful to have been brought to this particular hospital which is very well known for dealing with catastrophic injuries.  During her hospital stay, Amy was very well taken care of....when it came to critical care but because she had no health insurance, there was a lack of certain amenities which could have made her stay more comfortable.

 

The time finally came when she was released from the hospital.  While her condition was stable, she was basically still immobile and unable to care for herself.  Friends rallied, came to her aid and supported her in so many different ways, that Amy was overwhelmed with gratitude.  The selflessness of her friends and family was truly inspiring.  They all worked together to accomplish the seemingly impossible.  This story is a beautiful example of how adversity can be overcome through giving, loving and cooperation.

 

Angels in the Wilderness is an exquisitely heartwarming true story and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys uplifting literature.  We can all use a dose of hope in today's world.

 

 The above  review was contributed by: Marjorie Tietjen. Marjorie is a freelance investigative journalist with a B.S. in nutrition. She writes on various topics but has a special interest in public health, education and awareness. Her writings can be found online and in several print publications. To read more of Marjorie's articles and reviews CLICK HERE