About this item
James McConnells one wish is that his nine-year-old son will finally be healthy enough to play a game of catch. Then he and his wife, Emily, receive news theyve dreaded Aarons cancer has relapsed.As the family steels themselves for a draining treatment regimen in yet another hospital, Aaron receives the gift of a lifetimea personal visit from one of his favorite professional baseball playersand the chance to make a bold request, his wish to see his dad play in one major league game.A former college standout, James fears he doesnt have the talent it takes, even for one game, and that hell miss what could be Aarons precious last weeks. Yet how can he refuse his dying sons wish?Poignant and triumphant, Wish is the story of a fathers love, a familys perseverance, and the miracles that can happen when you believe in the impossible.
About the Author
Jake Smith is the editor of three national, award-winning bimonthly magazines. He has also written several outdoor and dog-training books and published more than 150 articles in national outdoor magazines. A former assistant high school baseball coach and All-State high school shortstop, Jake now spends his time on the field helping coach his kids' youth baseball teams. While researching Wish, Jake talked with current and former Major League Baseball players, children's hospital administrators, pediatric oncologists, and families who fought against childhood leukemia and other illnesses. Their expertise, along with tours of C. S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and "behind the scenes" of Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers) and Fifth Third Ballpark (home of the West Michigan Whitecaps) , provided the basis for Wish. Jake hopes this novel will help support children's hospitals, patient and family foundations, and participation in the National Marrow Donor Program's bone marrow registry (www.bethematch.org) . Jake holds both B.S. and M.S. degrees in wildlife sciences and management and lives in Traverse City, Michigan, with his wife, Vickie, their three children, and their Labrador retriever. Visit him online at www.jakesmithbooks.com.
