GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn, Dec. 04, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Sometimes, out of one person's pain springs a well of hope and inspiration for thousands. Alan Joyce struggled in the darkness of his son's disease. What began as messages to friends and family updating the condition of his son, Andy, blossomed into a prayer circle that included thousands. Andy's E-Mails (now available through 1stBooks), written by Joyce, is a collection of those correspondences.
The book began simply, gradually evolving into a journal of Andy's experiences. Andy, then 15, was caught in a courageous battle with an extremely rare brain disease. The illness was so mysterious, the doctors referred to it as a "medical enigma." Originally, the messages, written with twisted humor and compassion by Andy's father, were sent to a few close friends. However, this request for prayer gradually grew, uniting countless individuals with one goal: Andy's healing and complete recovery.
Andy's E-Mails chronicles Andy's struggles and tells how he and his family dealt with the illness, revealing both the good and dark days. Joyce, with wit and sensitivity, leads a call to prayer and offers a glimpse inside a family on the verge of tragedy. It is a journal about survival and coping with life's hardships. The book details an ailing child's courage in the face of an uncertain future, the support of a community, both local and online, the necessity of faith and hope and what is truly important in life.
For anyone on the verge of giving up, suffering the loss of a loved one or dealing with an illness, Andy's story is an inspirational and touching work. Andy's E-Mails is an unbeatable story of courage, love and faith that shows the power of the human spirit and hope.
Born in Little Rock, Ark., Joyce had a childhood filled with baseball and music. He was blessed with great parents and two older brothers. He began learning harmonica, guitar and piano at 13, studied music in college and performed in local venues. After marrying, he began a career in life insurance sales. He and his wife, Susan, moved to Nashville, Tenn., shortly after Andy was born. They have another son, Greg, who is two years younger. Joyce cowrote the song, "In the Shade of the Family Tree," which was released on a CD with Chicken Soup for the Country Soul. Andy's E-Mails is his first book.
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