Rescuing Jeffrey
Galli's moving account of a family tragedy unfolds as an existential life-or-death drama. At age 17, on July 4, 1998, his son, Jeffrey, dived into a backyard swimming pool, nearly drowned and severely damaged his spinal column; the boy was completely paralyzed from the neck down. Faced with the prognosis that Jeff would probably spend his future in a wheelchair and on a respirator, requiring round-the-clock care, Galli, who's a lawyer, and his wife, Toby, initially were strongly inclined to remove their son's life supportAand Jeff himself told his parents he wanted to die. One doctor at the hospital believed that ending Jeff's life was unthinkable, but other doctors disagreed, and at the Gallis' request the hospital began the review process that could have led to approval of the decision to terminate the boy's life. But within days Jeff had a change of heart; meanwhile, Galli, having read inspirational books by recent quadriplegics Christopher Reeve and Travis Roy, and having weighed the options, reversed his position of being "a strong advocate for Jeffrey's death." This gut-wrenchingly candid book, which focuses on the first 11 days of the Gallis' ordeal, is likely to arouse controversy and sharply divided reactions, especially since the Gallis, in the first agonizing days before Jeff regained speech, were willing to make the live-or-die decision without informing their paralyzed son. Yet this eloquent story of heartbreak and hope is ultimately life-affirming. Jeff, who graduates from high school this spring, transformed his father, who ruefully notes: "In the end [Jeff] even managed to push aside the only force that was actually strong enoughAor weak enoughAto kill him: his dad." BOMC featured selection; author tour. (June.-- even managed to push aside the only force that was actually strong enoughAor weak enoughAto kill him: his dad." BOMC featured selection; author tour. (June)Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.