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You may have been following the story of the Kelly family – Jim Kelly, former Buffalo Bills quarterback, and his wife Jill have had a long struggle that began with their son, Hunter, being diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Krabbe’s disease in 1997 at 4 months old. Krabbe’s (kraBAYZ) is a genetic disorder that slowly destroys the body’s nervous system. Hunter wasn’t expected to live past age two.
Hunter lived to eight and a half, passing away in 2005. Jill expected his death to also signal the death of her marriage, which had been growing apart as the couple struggled to deal with their extremely ill child. They faced depression and infidelity on top of what must be every parents worst nightmare – a child born with a terminal illness. But, with the help of their family and their church, the couple has managed to find a way through their grief.
Jill has written two other books about handling grief and suffering, but her latest effort, which hits bookstores tomorrow, is about, and for, Hunter. The title, “Without a Word: How a Boy’s Unspoken Love Changed Everything” references the fact that, because of his disease, Hunter never spoke. “Without a Word” chronicles how the couple met in 1991, the birth of their first daughter, Hunter’s birth and diagnosis and then their struggle to save their marriage both before and after Hunter’s death.
Jill’s other books, “Prayers for Those Who Grieve” and “Prayers of Hope for the Brokenhearted” are available in bookstores now.
