Our Sweet Maria: Her First 30 Years and Her Final 30 Days

"But I'm too young to die."

Those were the words 30-year-old Maria uttered when an oncologist explained that a recently diagnosed breast cancer may have spread to her brain and if that were the case, the prognosis would be "poor."

Unfortunately, Maria did not survive.

This book is both a biography of Maria's life and a memoir of how her Christian family dealt with her hospitalization and eventual death. Maria was working full-time at a hospital and was studying part-time to earn her Master's degree in teaching when she became afflicted with what she thought was a migraine headache.

During most of Maria's final days in the hospital, various doctors were trying to determine the cause of not only Maria's headache but also her back and neck pain. One doctor in particular referred to her as a "diagnostic dilemma." Unfortunately, by the time they figured out the problem, Maria had only a short time to live.

As Maria's dad and as a retired college writing instructor, Jim LaBate dealt with Maria's sudden passing by writing about her life and her final month under medical care. Prior to taking on this writing task, he wrote six books: one work of nonfiction, Writing Is Hard: A Collection of Over 100 Essays, and five works of fiction. His latest novel - Streets of Golfito -

received the 2021 Maria Thomas Fiction Award for a book about the Peace Corps.

This book is a father's love song to his daughter.

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Our Sweet Maria: Her First 30 Years and Her Final 30 Days

"But I'm too young to die."

Those were the words 30-year-old Maria uttered when an oncologist explained that a recently diagnosed breast cancer may have spread to her brain and if that were the case, the prognosis would be "poor."

Unfortunately, Maria did not survive.

This book is both a biography of Maria's life and a memoir of how her Christian family dealt with her hospitalization and eventual death. Maria was working full-time at a hospital and was studying part-time to earn her Master's degree in teaching when she became afflicted with what she thought was a migraine headache.

During most of Maria's final days in the hospital, various doctors were trying to determine the cause of not only Maria's headache but also her back and neck pain. One doctor in particular referred to her as a "diagnostic dilemma." Unfortunately, by the time they figured out the problem, Maria had only a short time to live.

As Maria's dad and as a retired college writing instructor, Jim LaBate dealt with Maria's sudden passing by writing about her life and her final month under medical care. Prior to taking on this writing task, he wrote six books: one work of nonfiction, Writing Is Hard: A Collection of Over 100 Essays, and five works of fiction. His latest novel - Streets of Golfito -

received the 2021 Maria Thomas Fiction Award for a book about the Peace Corps.

This book is a father's love song to his daughter.

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Our Sweet Maria: Her First 30 Years and Her Final 30 Days

Our Sweet Maria: Her First 30 Years and Her Final 30 Days

Our Sweet Maria: Her First 30 Years and Her Final 30 Days

Our Sweet Maria: Her First 30 Years and Her Final 30 Days

Overview

"But I'm too young to die."

Those were the words 30-year-old Maria uttered when an oncologist explained that a recently diagnosed breast cancer may have spread to her brain and if that were the case, the prognosis would be "poor."

Unfortunately, Maria did not survive.

This book is both a biography of Maria's life and a memoir of how her Christian family dealt with her hospitalization and eventual death. Maria was working full-time at a hospital and was studying part-time to earn her Master's degree in teaching when she became afflicted with what she thought was a migraine headache.

During most of Maria's final days in the hospital, various doctors were trying to determine the cause of not only Maria's headache but also her back and neck pain. One doctor in particular referred to her as a "diagnostic dilemma." Unfortunately, by the time they figured out the problem, Maria had only a short time to live.

As Maria's dad and as a retired college writing instructor, Jim LaBate dealt with Maria's sudden passing by writing about her life and her final month under medical care. Prior to taking on this writing task, he wrote six books: one work of nonfiction, Writing Is Hard: A Collection of Over 100 Essays, and five works of fiction. His latest novel - Streets of Golfito -

received the 2021 Maria Thomas Fiction Award for a book about the Peace Corps.

This book is a father's love song to his daughter.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780966210057
Publisher: Mohawk River Press
Publication date: 08/01/2025
Pages: 236
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Jim LaBate spent the final 20 years of his career as a writing specialist in The Writing Center at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York. There, he received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2019.Originally from Amsterdam, New York, Jim earned his bachelor's degree in English from Siena College in Loudonville, New York, and his master's degree, also in English, from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York.Jim spent his entire career as either a teacher or a writer. He taught physical education as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Golfito, Costa Rica, for two years. He taught high-school English for 10 years (one year at Vincentian Institute in Albany, New York, and nine years at Keveny Memorial Academy in Cohoes, New York). Then, he worked for 10 years as a writer forNewkirk Products in Albany, New York, before moving to HVCC.Prior to writing Our Sweet Maria, Jim wrote six books: one work of nonfiction, Writing Is Hard: A Collection of Over 100 Essays, and five works of fiction. His latest novel - Streets of Golfito - received the 2021 Maria Thomas Fiction Award for a book about the Peace Corps.Jim lives in Clifton Park, New York, with his wife, Barbara; they have two daughters: Maria and Katrina.
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