How would you react if, in the midst of a heated argument, your daughter ran out of the room and stabbed herself three times in the stomach with a Bowie knife? This is what happened to me…but wait…there is more. Afterglow is my story, a mother’s story. It begins at the funeral of my youngest child, Melanie. Page by page, I share the story of my early development, leading up to adulthood and two unsuccessful marriages. As my children grow, I learn that both my daughters have a genetic disorder called Ataxia. All during those volatile years I yearn for a foundation of stability for myself and my children. The Fates led me to spend a significant amount of time with a Seneca Elder who taught me many lessons about life. At the time, I didn’t realize how significant these lessons would prove to be.