The Lazarus Child - Abridged

It takes just a moment for a family's life to be changed forever. For a twelve-year-old boy to dash across the street for a pack of peppermints. For his seven-year-old sister to follow him into traffic. For a bus to swerve out of control. And with that terrible moment, a family's search begins for the unlikely miracle that will put together their shattered lives--and bring their daughter back to life....

In a small hospital room, little Frankie Heywood lies in a coma so deep, no one--not even those who love her the most--can reach her. It is a parent's worst nightmare. For months the Heywoods have kept an uneasy vigil at their daughter's bedside, waiting in vain for the least sign of hope. There they watch helplessly as doctors come and go, unable to do anything for Frankie but keep her body functioning.

Now the experts are telling them that prolonging Frankie's existence may be damaging to their son Ben, who is slipping deeper and deeper into a dangerous emotional isolation. Their marriage already strained to the breaking point, the Heywoods are desperate as only a family can be. Against the expert judgment of all around them, they grasp at their last chance: the brilliant neurologist Elizabeth Chase.

Lizzie Chase knows what it's like to lose a loved one to the darkness. She has dedicated her life to coaxing children back from the brink of oblivion. Her revolutionary work offers the only hope to families like the Heywoods. It has also drawn the unwanted attention of those who through ignorance, greed, or fear would do anything to stop her.

But Lizzie and the Heywoods refuse to be stopped. They are certain that somewhere, just beyond their reach, Frankie is waiting for the lifeline that will lead her back to them. Together this passionate healer and this courageous family will take any risk, make any sacrifice, and defy all odds to turn the ultimate tragedy into the ultimate triumph...but not even miracles occur without a price.

The Lazarus Child is that rare novel that touches you in a way you didn't know you could be touched. It is an unforgettable testament to the power of love, hope, faith--and the inexplicable magic of family.