Taylor’s Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope

The Storch family’s dream vacation turns into a nightmare when 13-year-old Taylor Storch dies after hitting a tree while skiing. Her parents write about their feelings of loss and the difficulties of processing their grief differently. While Todd needs to be around people and focuses on establishing a foundation, Taylor’s Gift, to facilitate registration for organ donors, Tara withdraws into a suicidal depression that leaves her unable to function. Her lifeline is a rediscovery of her faith and an amazing support network of family and friends. Ultimately, Todd and Tara find great comfort in meeting the five recipients of Taylor’s donated organs. Their stories are told in third person by cowriter Schuchmann; the viewpoint switching can be disruptive. While the couple’s brave and honest first-person confessions about their grief might particularly benefit those who understand such horrible loss, tedious detail can bog down the message of hope that Taylor’s gift brought not only to her parents but also to the organ recipients, who receive a new lease on life. Agent: Kathryn Helmers, Creative Trust. (Apr.)