cover image Waiting with Gabriel: A Story of Cherishing a Baby's Brief Life

Waiting with Gabriel: A Story of Cherishing a Baby's Brief Life

Amy Kuebelbeck. Loyola Press, $17.95 (174pp) ISBN 978-0-8294-1603-9

In Waiting with Gabriel: A Story of Cherishing a Baby's Brief Life, AP journalist Amy Kuebelbeck shares the heartbreaking story of the brief life of her son, Gabriel, born with a rare heart defect. Kuebelbeck and her husband learned of the problem during the second trimester of her pregnancy, when they were told that he would only live for a few days after birth. In the memoir, she recounts that he actually lived only a few hours, but explains that his life was invested with meaning for his family and the hospital staff. This is not so much a book about grief and loss as it is a testament to the importance of recognizing grace and beauty in the here and now; faced with the imminent death of their son, Kuebelbeck learned to appreciate every moment with her husband and their other children. Although the book is enriched by a strong Roman Catholic perspective, readers of any faith will connect with Kuebelbeck's tale of spiritual growth through love and bereavement.