In the Blink of an Eye

On May 1, 2000, Hasso von Bredow's life was forever changed. The young, active father of three suffered a massive stroke at the base of his brainstem, leaving him completely paralyzed and unable to speak. With his mind as cognitive and as active as it had always been, his body became his painful prison. Here is Hasso's moving and life-affirming memoir. At 42, Hasso had to come to terms with a life "locked in," being dependent on others for every breath, but worst of all, losing his most precious of possessions: his voice. The only way Hasso could communicate with the world was by blinking his eyes. With coded blinking and state-of-the-art technology, he wrote this incredibly moving memoir letter by letter, helped only by his wife and carer, Catherine. Far from being a depressing read, this story is a small miracle. It opens a world of human imagination, courage, and most importantly, love. Hasso's voice sings from every letter, word, and page, leaving the reader profoundly altered and uplifted. It is a book that resets one's internal compass and once read will never be forgotten.