In My Wake tells the inspiring true story of one woman’s struggle for survival after a life-altering accident, and the journey of faith she took on the way back to life. That woman is local author Amanda Legault, formerly of Niverville and currently of Plum Coulee.
In 2009, as Amanda was driving to meet a friend for coffee, her car was crushed underneath a semitrailer and dragged for a kilometre. The paramedics had to use the Jaws of Life to get her out of the wreckage, after which she was airlifted to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.
As she lay in a coma for almost three weeks, neither her family nor the doctors knew if she would ever walk again, talk again, or remember a thing.
“What could have been a tragedy became one of the most redeeming parts of my life so far,” Legault recalls. “It brought my family and I so much closer. It helped us all to see more of what really matters to us, and that tiny things are just that: tiny. Flirting with death has that effect—it grows people up really fast.”
Legault has since made a full recovery, but she writes in intimate detail about the brutal transition she went through to be whole again. “I have always loved writing. It was one of those things that was easy and felt natural to me. Not like math. I would love to write more books. I have tried writing fiction before, but writing this memoir was bang on for me. I discovered that my passion lies in writing non-fiction.”
Although this is Legault’s first published work, the words are written in an easy-to-read yet gripping way. For anyone who has been through a life-changing event, or is in need of some hope, In My Wake is sure to satisfy.
“I am so excited to share my journey and I’m thrilled that people are reading my book,” Legault says. “To anyone who has read it or is going to, thank you for letting me share my story with you.”
This July, Amanda, her husband Kyle, and their two kids are travelling to Toronto where she will be featured on the national Christian talk show 100 Huntley Street.
In My Wake is available to purchase at Slice of Life in Niverville, Hulls in Steinbach, and can be purchased online at major book vendors.
