Cancer took Jeff Merrifield’s life, but the cruel disease never defeated him. Through three cancer diagnoses and excruciating treatments, Jeff maintained his determination and indomitable spirit, amazing those around him with his tremendous positivity.
Holding on While Letting Go is Jeff’s legacy, an inspirational memoir of his struggle told in his own words. Jeff proves that while nobody wants to receive a cancer diagnosis, it’s possible to be happy while dealing with the disease. He combines a sharp, often sarcastic sense of humor with brutally honest descriptions of his feelings, including his love for his family. Through his words, the son, brother, friend, and mentor he was shines through.
In the second part of the book, Jeff’s mother Sharon takes up the narrative, offering candid descriptions of the strain of care giving, the pain of hope turned to grief, and grief transformed to hope.
A cathartic labor of love, Holding on While Letting Go fulfills a promise made by a mother to her son: a promise to share his warmth, passion, and strength with the world. Ultimately, Jeff and Sharon’s story is one of triumph and the refusal to let a terrible disease overcome the joy of living.