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Hi Marian! I am reading A Widow's Walk for the second time. I read it a few years ago, not long after my husband was killed in a car accident at age 33 (12-21-04). At the time, my kids were almost 5 and almost 2. I was only 28 and there weren't really any resources for me, the local widow's groups were full of old ladies. Anyway, you were the first person that I could relate to and reading your book made me feel normal and not so alone.
Thank you for sharing your story and your strength.
I hope that you and your precious son are doing well.
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Marian, I've read your book twice.. the second time hitting me harder than the first. You are such an amazing woman and mother. Thank you so much for sharing your story with the world. I'm looking forward to reading 'Middle of the Bed'
Your son can be so proud of both of his parents..
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Lisa Martinez
from West Sacramento, CA, USA
02/27/2010 -- 10:02 pm |
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helllo marian, my name is cleo garcia and most recently my aubnt passes away unexpected she was my moms only sister and while cleaning her closet i found your book and i kept it and once i started reading it i could not put it down i learn alot from your book things that i did not know was happening while searching for your husband.i just wanted to write to you and say that i think your have courage and to wish you the best...sincerly cleo garcia
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cleo garcia
from corpus christi, TX, USA
02/12/2010 -- 10:02 pm |
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I finished reading your book last night, w/ tears running down my face. Your strength is amazing. Getting through each day, taking on the grief of others and still parenting while your world fell apart is simply incredible. The humor that you were able to find when the world had turned grey also astounds me. I will treasure this book like a friend that I will visit again.
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Aloha Marian,
I hope you and Aidan are doing well. My name is John Pregil and I met you in December of 2001 when your group came to Hawaii. I taught Aidan how to surf! I don't know why but God placed in on my heart to google you and I thought I'd send you a quick note. I actually make 20 years as a firefighter today here in Honolulu! Things are well here as I now have 3 children and my wife Dale is fine. If you have time, go to hawaiianfire.com and see what our surf school has grown into! Well I hope God has kept you and Aidan safe and perhaps one day our paths will cross again. Warmest Aloha, John
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John Pregil
from Honolulu, HI, USA
01/17/2010 -- 06:01 am |
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Holiday Greetings to you!
You emailed me a while back....I'm the actress who lost weight (Wow-sounds like a good book)...Just wanted to wish you a very wonderful Holiday Season.....enjoy!
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DEAR Mariana fontana,
my Name is Sean and I am reading your book and I have cried through every page. I Admire your strength and courage. The couorage to be a single mother and raise Aidan after what you have been through. My payers and thoughts are with you and your Son God Bless you Both may you have the best of hollidays. and may the new year find you safe healthy and happy.
AND P.S. GO Yankees GO #27 and I see # 28 right around the corner ( I hate the Red Sox)
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SEAN PAYNE
from NASHUA, NH, USA
12/09/2009 -- 07:12 pm |
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Dear Marian, I started watching the movie 'Holiday' with Kate Winslett about an hour ago here in Belgium, and all of a sudden ended up on the site 'huizenruil.be' (exchange of houses) reading your add and story. I'm very sorry to read what happened to your husband and you and your son.
I really don't know why I am writing this to you, but in the past years I have learned that my intuition is always correct. Although I often do not understand why I say or do things, they are usually the right things. I can imagine that you do not have time for this because I have the impression that you are very successful and busy, but I just have the feeling that I should do it...
I must admit that I have been inspired by a fortune teller/medium who told me that I should visit New York, and Staten Island in particular. She said that somewhere over there I would find my name from a former reincarnation (in which I strongly believe, as well as in the fact that everything in our life happens because we need it for the 'development' of our immortal soul) and it would be a solution for one of my blockades in this life, namely daring to speak my truth. I also experienced hard times in my life and would like to write a book about it, but I have no experience at all. I guess I just have to start writing, no...?
I do have the time now, because I am at home with a broken foot at this moment, and I strongly have the feeling that I am at a crossing in my life. I think there is much, much more in me than has come out so far!
Marian, if you are interested in visiting Belgium, or would just like to send me a note, my e-mail address is mdyckman@gmail.com.
If not, I also want to thank you because in one way or another you have inspired me, and it has probably simply been important for me to dare to write this on your site where everyone can read it.
So thanks anyway!
Good luck Marian...
With love from Belgium,
May Dyckmans
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Hey Girl...
Good Lord, you remind me of myself....I am an actress with a life time's experience of improv and comedy. I am almost done with your book....astounding. I have to thank you....you gave me a whole new perspective on life. Last year I lost 126 lbs and in the process lost some of me and finally, I lost my marriage. Don't know what happened.....I became this anxiety ridden actress who was skinny but didn't know how to face life any more. A dear friend gave me your book....and I settled in for what I thought would be another typical heartbreaking 9/11 story. I have fallen in love with your family and your ability to look at life and death with heartfelt tears and sometimes inappropriate laughter. As I write this...I am sitting next to my ex husband...we have found love again...but I don't think we ever lost it-we just needed to shovel out all the crap that was in the way.....so, thank you so much. Much love to you and yours...Janet Planet, the Galaxy Girl......
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Dear Marian - I doubt you'll read this, but here goes.
I read Widows Walk when it came out a couple of years ago, and re-read it again last week. To quote New York's Daily News from February of this year, Many Sept. 11 first responders - most of them cops, firefighters and construction workers who took ill after working at Ground Zero - suffered lung problems more than 5 years later. Mount Sinai's program has treated more than 26,000 people who were at the site or worked there in the days after Sept. 11.
With all due respect, you knew the air quality was dangeous, as you make brief mention of it in your book, and yet you were instrumental in leading an ongoing recovery program for months, putting more first responders at risk so family/friends might be given a body part. The whole event was tragic enough, but did not need to be made worse with putting more people's lives at risk, never mind possible explosions due to gas, etc. I don't think it was worth what these people went through just to comfort victim's families with remains. I feel terrible for all families, but further deaths and diseases could have been avoided if NYC was simply allowed to clear that area out as fast as possible. I do understand the reasoning, as best I can, but the health fall-out since is not fair, nor necessary. Hilary Clinton spoke at great length about this in various speeches and how these living victims suffer without the proper medical attention and support.
I am sorry for everyone's loss, also sorry that your government was negligent in preventing this horrible event, and very much responsible for it. I do wish everyone involved comfort and the happiness they very much deserve.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/02/05/2009-02-05_study_shows_ground_zero_link_to_lung_ail.html#ixzz0QkRz1AMf
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Bea Lake
from Vancouver, CA
09/10/2009 -- 07:09 pm |
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Dear Marian,
I came across your book yesterday. As a writer with a focus on the American mindset around 9/11, I picked it up and was intrigued by the photo. The image of you being held in your husbands eyes says it all: 'we're building a life together', 'we're solid'. I believe in the symbolizm of things, and I want you to know a couple of things. First, I sat up late reading deep into the book. In it, Dave's funeral is coming.....I put down the book, got some breakfast, took a shower, cleaned the kitchen, watered the plants. And the whole time I know I am avoided reading the next chapter....
In America, we go to sleep too easily. We have memory problems. As 9/11 comes around again, I want you to know, that there are people out here who still care deeply that people like your husband lost their lives that day. I am one of them. Over the next few hours, I will spiritually attend Dave's funeral through your words and memories. All these years later, I care and will continue to care about people like you and your kid. Thank you for the work you have done on behalf of all the families and other people who believe that 9/11 was indeed the worst day in our nation's history.
shalom.
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P. Moss
from USA
08/30/2009 -- 04:08 pm |
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Hi Marian,
Irene and I loved meeting you last weekend in SanDiego. We are co-reading the book. Passing it back and forth every few chapters.
We will be in NYC this October with all 5 kids. It would be awesome if we could find a way to get together even for a few hours. If not wil look for you at next years conference.
Looking forward already to the next book, and finding out how the date turned out! LOL
Hope you enjoyed the lotion.
Mike
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Mike Hogan
from Wauwatosa, WI, USA
07/23/2009 -- 12:07 pm |
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Dear Marian,
It was such a pleasure to share in your company and become inspired by your book at the National Conference on Widowhood this past weekend in San Diego. I admire your courage to share your story and know that you are blessed with that gift of writing.
As a fellow member of this widow club I am filled with hope and renewed with the strength of all the courageous women at this event. We all have a face, a name and our own story of grief.
I found strength and purpose to give back through my website Heartache To Healing.
Thank you Marian.
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JoAnne Funch
from Minneapolis, MN, USA
07/20/2009 -- 02:07 pm |
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Dear Marian,
I am almost done with your book and I wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed it. I just married a fire fighter this past February and your story touched me in ways you can't imagine. At first my husband wasn't sure he was okay with me reading it but I checked it out from the library anyway. He knows I worry about him and tries his best to protect me. As I'm sure Dave did with you. I loved when you talked about how Dave crawled into bed one morning after a bad call and held you like he would never let go. It's a gesture I'm very familiar with and can relate to. It's also gesture I treasure.
I couldn't imagine a life after losing that kind of love, a life after losing my love As I'm sure you know, a fire fighter wife is usually able to live her life not thinking about the day to day dangers that are involved with such a job. It is only the occasion of a funeral or bad call that it really shakes us to the core. I had that the unfortunate opportunity to attend a fire fighter funeral last year and hearing the 'Last Call' and the tones drop was a sound I will never forget. It took my breath away seeing the engines draped in black sashes with the gear sitting on the front. My then fiance and I were right in front when they carried the flag draped coffin to the burial site. All I could do was pray that one day that wouldn't be him. I admire your strength to try and hold things together for all those funerals and your husband's as well. I doubt I could be half as composed.
Everyone knows where they were on September 11th. It has been etched into America's soul and shapes who we are today. At the time, I was a senior in high school and my life was an open book. When I met my husband, he was already a fire fighter and I had a lot to learn about the brotherhood. But now, I wouldn't have it any other way. A fire fighter wife has to be strong even when she doesn't want to be. But we love our men fiercely and without second thought to how our futures can change in a second. As much as his passion scares me at times, I wouldn't change a single moment of our lives. As I'm sure you would never trade a second of your life with Dave for an escape from those events.
I've laughed with you and cried with you and felt the loss down to my soul with every page of your book. I love you, your son, and your book so much that when I went to visit a friend in NYC, I had to stop by Squad 1. (Consequently my husband added a new patch to his collection. Ha-Ha!) You are a role model to me and every other wife with a husband in the civil service field. You and your family will always be in my thoughts and prayers.
From one fire fighter wife to another, Kathaleen Berhiet
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I am in the process of doing a project on the September 11 attacks and I decided to read your book to get an inside view on how it affected familys and I absolutely loved your book. It was so touching and I couldn't stop reading it. You're such a strong person and I really admire that. Good luck with everything else.
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Jessica
from USA
05/14/2009 -- 02:05 pm |
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