I had the honor while visiting Notre Dame to attend a freshman seminar class. The students had read What Though the Odds and I was invited to share with them some insight into my writing, the process and the story. At the end of the semester these students will each write their own autobiography.

One of my favorite – albeit now-defunct – magazines is “Biography.” It was an awesome collection of stories about the famous, infamous and regular Joes. The tagline was, “Every life has a story.”
That is so true. And never truer than when I visited Monk’s class.

Father Edward “Monk” Malloy was the President of Notre Dame when I was a student. He will always be “my president,” just like Dick Rosenthal is “my athletic director,” Lou Holtz “my football coach,” and Tim Welsh “my coach.” I say this with no disrespect to the current president, AD, football coach or women’s swim coach; I just can’t claim them as my own.

 Monk is an impressive figure. Not only physically (he’s well over six feet tall and played basketball for Notre Dame), but personally as well. My husband had the privilege of being a student in Monk’s class. I had the privilege of being a guest in his class.

These students – all freshmen – each shared their own personal reflection about the story: what impacted them, what struck them, what they found interesting to read. I listened and took notes while they spoke, and then joined in the discussion. It was so great to have the opportunity to share with them a bit of Notre Dame history, and also a story about my freshman year at Notre Dame. They are the same age as I was when the bus accident happened. They are in the midst of forming the same friendships I had formed; enjoying the football season as I did; figuring out their new-found independence as I was. Our lives are parallel, and it became very real for them to think of the book in terms of themselves and their own lives. Until the event that changed my life.

I can’t say that meeting me or reading my book is an event that will change their lives. But I know it has helped them to look at life differently – at people differently – perhaps at themselves differently. That is the gift I love to share.