You Can’t Do It Alone

"Maria shares her path to balancing grief with the happy memories of her beloved husband. Her emotional journey will amaze you."

"Maria has gifted us with a tender account of her life, loss and hope. A true labor of love that gives us compassion, insight and wisdom. An important book for anyone facing the challenge of loss."

"This book is healing and helpful, heartbreaking and uplifting, but ultimately it's validation of our resilience. Maria's lessons will help anyone facing disease."

"An intimate, poignant saga of one family's journey through a cancer diagnosis; modeling genuineness and openness in preparing a young child to face his father's impending death. Combined with insights from a clinical expert, we are granted a close-up window into living with glioblastoma, making the most of the time we have together, and navigating the multi-faceted manifestations of grief."

"Maria's powerful book will help many who are trying to navigate the complicated journey of grief. So many are at a complete loss when they experience the death of a loved one that profoundly shakes their entire foundation. In this enlightening volume, Maria turns personal tragedy into triumph and provides practical, accessible ways to cope with the realities of life while mourning her husband."

"Provides clarity, support and comfort on all levels for anyone grieving a loss."

"Navigating the advanced serious illness and death of her husband Sean presented Maria not just with grieving his loss, but also helping their five-year-old son Gus understand and adjust. Their story and lessons learned may help other young families facing the unexpected early death of a spouse and parent. With helpful comments and suggestions from grief therapist Lauren Schneider at the close of each chapter, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to better understand their own journey, or support friends and family coping with young children whose parent is seriously ill."

"You Can't Do it Alone is a must read. Not just for those who suffer from a debilitating illness, but for those who seek to understand and cope with life's struggles while living with persistence and purpose."

"Maria Quiban Whitesell takes us through her heartbreaking journey as a loving caregiver for her husband with glioblastoma and a loving mother to her young son. Her articulate, yet unfiltered, account provides a raw narrative of the impact of this terrible disease on her family. Her message of You Can't Do It Alone is poignantly conveyed which makes this a must read not only for caregivers on the front-line of a terminal disease but also to those who are looking to support caregivers."

"Maria through her own very personal experience gives us all a glimpse and model for resiliency. She beautifully brings the reader back to a truth that those of us who work with the human being know vividly: you cannot do it alone."

"Maria has written an honest and beautiful accounting of her heartbreaking journey and how to find hope, comfort and healing in the face of the unthinkable tragedy. Thank you, Maria, for sharing this story that will undoubtedly help countless others to weather such storms and ultimately lead back to love... and, yes, to sunnier days. You are an inspiration!"

"The loss of a spouse over many months is, at times, unbearable, and is, at times, a loving experience. I know. I've been there. Maria captures the intense highs and deflating lows--by the end of this extraordinary book, Maria leaves us awed, breathless and hopeful."

"Maria Quiban Whitesell's voice is contemplative and honest, never straying into self-pity or mawkishness. Her advice is eminently sensible, born of experience and bolstered by observations from a trained therapist following each chapter. This is a heroic, useful, and beautiful memoir. It will provide solace and counsel to all else who sadly have to travel in her steps."

"This rare and raw look at a testimony to life, love and the heart-wrenching journey of saying goodbye to the ones we hold most dear is going to help many, many people. No one wants to have to write this story, I am just grateful Maria Quiban Whitesell had the compassion and strength to do it."

"I highly recommend this read for anyone experiencing loss, and certainly for those whom are caregivers and having to witness the transitioning of a loved one, in the presence of a child. Thank you Maria for sharing your story and labor of love with us. Know you work is not done in vain, and we are enlightened and inspired because of it."