About the Book
Julie brings Aimee to life in the mind of the reader as Aimee touches the hearts of all who meet her in her determination to overcome her numerous disabilities. Aimee's enthusiasm, confidence, sense of humor and positive attitude has moved all who have witnessed, in disbelief, her astounding accomplishments. "For The Love Of Aimee" is the story of a grandmother's sacrifice and devotion. Julie overcomes her own hardships in her determination to accompany Aimee two months a year for special therapy in Europe and elsewhere. It is also the story of a mother's love and desire to help her son, Aimee's father, and her daughter-in-law in their time of need.
For more information about Julie Riera Matsushima please visit www.juliematsu.com
Testimonials
"Aimee (Peepgrass) was supposed to die shortly after the August day she was born with half her brain missing. If she did manage to live, doctors said, she would never see, hear, and never talk. Today, Aimee is a funny, music loving pre-teen who blushes when you mention the name of a certain boy, is curious about the world, and seems to remember everyone she has ever met, first name and last.
This is the story of Aimee and her grandmother, Julie Matsushima, and their stubborn insistence that Aimee would not only survive, but thrive in a world stacked against her from the start. It is a journey that takes them around the country and around the world looking for help for Aimee?and to achieve Aimee's goal of being able to walk.
Aimee is the bravest, most determined person I have ever met. She must have inherited those traits from her grandmother. Their story is truly inspirational."
- Susan Goldberg, Editor - Cleveland Plains Dealer
"For The Love Of Aimee carries an important message about the power of love, devotion and determination...no matter how difficult the challenge. This life-changing story will inspire individuals and families to reach out and bring about change. The prinicipals Matsushima sets forth in her book can be applied to any and all challenges for her readers experiences in life. This memoir is a testimony of the courageous depth of the human spirit."
- Laurel B. Perusa, Saratoga, CA
"A dynamic interplay between faith and hope that results in the genuine For the Love of Aimee--a captivating story of human transformation well told."
- Monsignor J. Patrick Browne, Pastor, St. Joseph Cathedral, San Jose, CA
"I know this is a good book because I keep thinking about it the next morning when I wake up. I wanted to find out how they over came each challenge... and how Amiee's life unfolds. While I read each chapter I kept thinking of the variety of friends from different parts of my life that I wanted to share this with. I found it very uplifting even during some of the most tearful challenges that they faced."
- Cami Smith, Winter Park, FL
"In this memoir of dauntless dedication and courage, Julie takes the reader on a journey from heartbreak to hope, and the suspense heightens as she proceeds step by step toward an uncertain future. The dedication to her family, and especially to Aimee, never falters as she shares with us the plight of facing the unknown. We are shown the terrible toll in caring for a disabled child in freezing weather in a foreign country, the daily grind of real life...and the anxieties of being subject to foreign laws and the mercy and whims of strangers. This book pulls no punches and is a must-read for those responsible for a child. It is a journey that ends in personal triumph and achievement against all odds. Thanks for sharing Aimee's story with the world, for inspiring parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents everywhere, and most of all for not believing the slap-in-the-face worst at the very beginning. Nothing I have ever read equals the exquisite feelings expressed in this book and what it means to proceed into the unknown when someone else's life is at stake."
- Joyce Henderson, Palo Alto, CA
