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Notes Left Behind Audiobook
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(4.00) - 575 listener ratings
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“Elena has left behind a story of resilience, hope and most of all, love. We can’t help but take her into our hearts, and carry the best of her into our own lives.”
—Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor of The Last Lecture
Notes Left Behind by Brooke and Keith Desserich began as a journal they kept after their five-year-old daughter Elena was diagnosed with brain cancer and given just 165 days to live. As poignant and inspiring as Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture, it is the story of the courage of a truly remarkable little girl who accomplished so much in so little time—and of her parents’ love and dedication to their child and their family. New York Times bestselling author James Patterson was profoundly moved by Elena’s beautiful life and Notes Left Behind, calling it, “a stunning story that teaches us how precious children, family, and life are, and that the sacrifices we make are worth it. I won’t forget the Desserich family, and neither will you.”
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"I read this on a plane when I was going to pick up my kids from their dad's house after Thanksgiving- This one is a tearjerker! I loved my kids in a completely different way after reading this. Being a chemotherapy nurse, I deal with death and people fighting for their lives- as a mother- I cannot even begin to imagine losing a child. People, life is short!!! Make everyday count, and forgive yourself if a day goes by and you aren't everything you set out to be. Try again tomorrow. You have to wake up every day and say "Today is going to be the best day of my life!"....and tomorrow will also be. It becomes a way of life. Practice it....soon enough it will be all that you know, and you will be able to share that light with those you encounter."
— Pam (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This is a stunning story that teaches us how precious children, family, and life are, and that the sacrifices we make are worth it. I won’t forget the Desserich family, and neither will you.”
— James Patterson, New York Times bestselling author -
“Elena has left behind a story of resilience, hope, and, most of all love. We can’t help but take her into our hearts, and carry the best of her into out own lives.”
— Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor of The Last Lecture -
“[A] heartbreakingly forthright journal.”
— Publishers Weekly
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Notes Left Behind Listener Reviews
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" very sad, but a touching book - makes you look at each day a little differently... "
— Natalie, 2/14/2014 -
" Tear Jerker. Heartwarming how a family can come together because of such tragedy. What an amazing little girl and what even more amazing parents. "
— Mallory, 2/14/2014 -
" This is a very touching story about the hope and drive of a little six year old who has brain cancer. Very sad and yet inspiring. "
— KrisT, 2/6/2014 -
" A heartfelt book that tells the up and down journey of one family as their child fights cancer. When reading this book you do have to keep in mind that this book was not written as a book to be published but it was first written as a journal by two parents for their younger daughter to help her remember her older sister. "
— Kimberly, 1/9/2014 -
" A parents' journal of their young daughter's life with cancer, this book was honest, raw, and carried with it profound wisdom. It was refreshing to read of such beautiful love. The world is too often entertained by scandal and horror instead of miracles and love. Ironically, it left me with the desire to have a little kiddo myself! "
— Erika, 1/5/2014 -
" Parents' journey through a child's terminal illness... Parents can handle just about anything when it comes to the joy of their child. "
— Connie, 1/4/2014 -
" Pretty Elena..135 days of memory with Elena and her family,nice story.. "
— Lenny, 12/1/2013 -
" This book gave me a realistic idea of what cancer is like and more importantly how it is to watch someone you love suffer from the disease. I admire that these parents were able to document so well while experiencing such a heavy fate. "
— Ryan, 10/29/2013 -
" This was a very sad book, and yet heartwarming as well. A good read. The parents made me feel like I was there with them through the Journey of Elena's last 7 months. "
— Sierra, 10/10/2013 -
" Beautifully done...Makes you stop and think about treasuring the people you love...How courageous of the parents to share their child's story. "
— Debra, 5/18/2013 -
" Rec. by Reading Group Guides. Reminders to cherish the small moments in life, through the life and death from cancer of 6 year old Elena. Engaging and touching but not suprising. "
— Michelle, 11/25/2012 -
" wow...pretty emotional, but definitely a good reminder of how fragile we are. "
— Liz, 11/11/2012 -
" What an adorable little girl but so courageous and sad at the same time. "
— Linda, 10/3/2012 -
" This book was hard for me to put down. Elena's parents did a wonderful job telling her story. I was hoping for a miracle~ "
— Dawn, 6/10/2012 -
" This book hit me so hard... Such a true, raw account of a family's struggle with pediatric brain cancer and the love that was felt and the memories made along the way. Reading about the Desseriches' experience has made me value my kids even more... "
— Charissa, 9/30/2011 -
" This was a very moving book - the story of love, of family, and of loss - along with a more than a few tears, it reminded me how lucky our family is and made me hold my kids a little closer each night. "
— Kristin, 9/26/2011 -
" A great book to make you stop and enjoy the little things kids do, heartwarming but so sad too. keep tissues near if you have kids! "
— Crystal, 5/23/2011 -
" Not as good as I thought it would be- a very sweet and sad story- but I had thought it had a different spin than being just a memoir. "
— Crystal, 11/19/2010 -
" This was a heartbreaking, inspiring, hopeful tragedy of a story. Although I knew the inevitable outcome, I still found myself hoping for miracles for this little girl. In the end I merely found myself sobbing. "
— Sherrie, 5/16/2010
About the Authors
Brooke and Keith Desserich live in Cincinnati with their daughter, Gracie. They have several businesses, but they consider parenting their main profession. With the help of family and many friends, they founded The Cure Starts Now, a revolutionary cancer foundation dedicated to a “home run” cure strategy for all cancers, starting first with one of the most deadly and difficult cancers: pediatric brain cancer.
Brooke and Keith Desserich live in Cincinnati with their daughter, Gracie. They have several businesses, but they consider parenting their main profession. With the help of family and many friends, they founded The Cure Starts Now, a revolutionary cancer foundation dedicated to a “home run” cure strategy for all cancers, starting first with one of the most deadly and difficult cancers: pediatric brain cancer.
About the Narrators
T. Ryder Smith is an American actor. A native of New York state and long-time resident of New York City, he has appeared frequently on stage, particularly in avant-garde theater works, and in film, sometimes as a voice actor.
Coleen Marlo is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator who has been nominated for an Audie Award twice, winning in 2011. She has been awarded three Listen-Up Awards from Publishers Weekly, an AudioFile Audiobook of the Year Award in 2011, and was named Audiobook Narrator of the Year for 2010 by Publishers Weekly. She is a member of the prestigious Actors Studio and taught acting for ten years at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Marlo is a proud founding member of Deyan Institute of Voice Artistry and Technology.