Into the Blue: A Father's Flight and a Daughter's Return

When Edsall's father, an avid antique plane pilot and rebuilder, was reduced to a frustrated, partially-paralyzed mute after suffering a mild stroke, Edsall and her sister, Sharon, rallied to the challenge of teaching him how to speak, read, write, drive--and fly--once more. Faced with a""too bad, so sad"" attitude from medical staff, the sisters studied teachers' guides from the local bookstore and took turns in two-week stints, returning to the family home in Montana to work with their father.""I laid out all my plans for the next day, the lessons in thirty-minute blocks,"" writes Edsall.""I made flash cards with the alphabet on them. I arranged my cache of books on the buffet table, which converted nicely into a makeshift library."" After two months of this relentless, proactive regimen--not without its poignant setbacks--their father had almost completely recovered his faculties and was miraculously able to soar his 1942 BT-13 through the clouds once again. Edsall superbly weaves childhood memories, past flying adventures and family foibles into her uplifting narrative. While this account is certainly sentimental, the father's triumphant rehabilitation--along with his daughters' obvious devotion, nerve and diligence--will undoubtedly inspire other stroke survivors and their families. Photos throughout.