The Beauty of my Shadow

About the Book

In the blink of an eye, a person’s entire existence can change forever. At eighteen, Samantha Michael learned this in the most challenging way imaginable, when she was in a severe car crash at the hands of an impaired driver. After being rescued from the accident, Samantha was comatose and barely alive. Later, as she emerged from her coma, she would come to discover that terrifying moment was not the end but the beginning—the beginning of a lifetime of challenges and changes, tribulations and triumphs.

With wisdom, grace and humour, Samantha recounts the aftermath of her injury and her personal, medical and emotional struggles to win back the happiness which was taken from her. She describes the impact on her family and friends, the lasting physical trauma with which she had to struggle, the pain of deferred dreams and the joy of eventually reclaiming her life and self, piece by piece, day by day. The Beauty of My Shadow will pluck a range of emotional chords as the reader experiences the euphoria, hope, doubt, fear, love and other feelings Samantha herself lived through in the days since her life was forever altered.

Written candidly and from the heart, Samantha’s story gives hope to those who have suffered similar trauma, as well as those who are simply wrestling with the ordinary challenges of daily life. Her memoir serves as a powerful reminder of the strength and versatility of the human spirit—that while adversity derails our path in life, undefeatable perseverance often helps us discover another route to take. A percentage of author royalties from the sale of this book are donated to charity. See book for details. Donated royalties are net of commissions.

About the Author

First-time author Samantha Michael was born in Ajax, Ontario. A bright, ambitious student on the verge of beginning university, her life was unexpectedly and permanently altered when in 1991, she suffered near-fatal injuries as the passenger in a single-car accident cause by a drunk driver.

That moment marked the beginning of a long and difficult recovery process starting with a month-long hospitalization. Despite the severe physical and emotional trauma she sustained, Samantha willed herself to push on and reconstruct her life—an experience that has inspired her to passionately pursue a range of activities, including Pilates, meditation, music therapy, art therapy, volunteerism, philanthropy and dance.

Today, Samantha serves on the board of the Ontario-based non-profit An Aid to Help Foundation, which she founded to help raise money for charitable causes in Canada and beyond. She has also assisted the National Arts Centre since 1999 as a volunteer. She lives with her beloved, ever-loyal canine companion Mya, in a home overlooking a vibrant forest, where the gentle sway of the wind chimes helps remind her of the beauty and tranquillity of life.