Without A Word by Jill Kelly ~review

Product Description

WITHOUT A WORD is a riveting memoir that blends remarkable achievement with passion, sacrifice, love, pain, and human interest. It takes the reader into the lives of a celebrity couple, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, and his wife, Jill, to reveal the Kelly family's private struggle and how eight and a half years with their severely disabled, terminally ill son, Hunter, unfolded in a redemptive and transforming manner. The light of Hunter's love through his brief and silent life shone into the shadowed corners of Jill and Jim's lives resulting in Jill believing that Jesus Christ was authentic, her learning to forgive Jim of past indiscretions, and finally resulting in Jim's seeking and finding God. Lessons gleaned from Hunter's life and death, and Jim and Jill's struggle to save their marriage during tumultuous times, make this a compelling and inspiring read.
 
My take on this book:
 
Not being a football fan I had never heard of Jim Kelly, or his wife Jill, what initially drew me to this book was the fact that Tim McGraw and Faith Hill had written the forward, but once I read this book, I am certain I will never forget the Kelly family and the special little boy that God entrusted them to take care of!
 
Hunter James Kelly was born on Feb 14 1997 on his fathers birthday, and at the age of four months old was diagnosed with a fatal genetic disease, called Krabbe Leukodystrophy,  for which there was no cure or treatments. His parents Jim and Jill Kelly were told that he probably wouldn't live to be two years old.
 
This was a story that I was unable to put down. I became totally immersed in reading not just Hunter's story but the Kelly's story as well. Jill opens up her heart as a wife and mother and shares the struggles and joys of taking care of a terminally ill child, while trying to maintain a marriage and take care of her other children, she shows us the true meaning of a mothers love.We also hear from Jim as well as Hunter's sisters about their feelings while struggling with the loss of their loved one.
 
As the title suggests Hunter never uttered a word during his eight year stay on earth but thru this amazing story his life will forever be remembered.Even though this may sound like a sad story of a young boy's life  cut short by illness it actually is so much more, we see a family led to God during this story. Its a story filled with hope, love, heartbreak and faith.A story I would highly recommend. Thank you Jim and Jill Kelly for sharing the story of Hunter with us!
 
I would like to add that 50% of the proceeds of this book will go to Hunter's Hope Foundation. Hunter's Hope confronts the critical need for information, awareness, and research in response to the threat of Krabbe disease and related Leukodystrophies.Click  here to go to learn more about this foundation.
 
Thanks to Faith Words for providing me a review copy of this book. Even though I was provided a review copy of this book it in no way alters my opinion of this book.