• “Thanks for your note. Amy and I really enjoyed seeing you and meeting Mario, Miguel and Mark.
  
  You are an inspiration by turning a tragic situation into a hopeful and loving one.
  
  Our love vibrations are heading your way,”
  by Stu and Amy and Pasha
• “Hello, Christine:
  
  We met you last weekend at Benicia Bookshop. My husband, Marc, just finished your book and he was very inspired by it. He could hardly put it down towards the end. He says he feels renewed hope that he can keep getting better, and he’s been taking his health and his recovery more seriously. He’s been feeling great this week as a result, has been sharing the book with several people. He says thank you for the “shot in the arse” that he needed to keep going! He understands what it means to “Be Love” and he is Being Love!
  
  God bless you,
  Jackie”
• “Subject: my son alex
  
  Hi Mario was looking at internet for info on brain injuries when i came across your book, my son alex was in an accident 9 weeks ago and has a serious brain injury he was put in an induced coma and paralyzed for just over a week, he had part of his scull removed so his brain could swell. at the moment all he does is open his eyes. he follows people sometimes when i talk to him he gets really frustrated its like he is in there but cant get out the doctors don’t say much except its a long process he was 21 3 weeks after his accident it was really hard for us, however reading your story has given me a bit more hope and i shall be buying your book for some inspiration, i hope you continue to make good progress and pray that alex can do the same hope you will get in touch
  
  - Lynda”
• “Subject: Our Walk Together on the Martinez Marina Pier
  
  It was wonderful to see you again today. We met several months ago at the Martinez Marina. You were with your friend named Deborah and her husky named Solera. I was with my Alaskan Malamute named Nymeria. You told me your name and asked me mine, then you hugged me and told me you liked my blond hair. I mentioned to you that I walk Nymeria twice a day and hoped to see you again sometime. Well, today while I was walking Nymeria on the pier I saw a young man walking with a walker, and I guided my 130 pound puppy to the opposite side of the path so as not to get in your way. When I passed you, I thought you looked familiar and it occurred to me that you were Mario the same young man I had met several months ago. I reintroduced myself to you and we hugged before walking together along the pier. During our walk and visit, I began to sing the Rob Thomas song Little Wonders, and you asked me to sing some more, which I did then I told you you had to sing with me, which you did, then we did a slow dance and spread our arms out as if we were flying. Afterward, we walked back, and I asked if you had a friend to pick you up. I met Kat, and asked if you had a facebook account, then gave her my name and number. Well, Mario, you brightened my day with your smile, kind words, and heartfelt embrace, and you didn’t even know I had just prayed to God to help me touch and feel his presence in this world, in my life. Then I saw you, and I knew that you were the answer to my prayer. God reaches out through those willing, and it reminded me that I am also a vessel for God’s love to bring to others. I have a facebook page. If you would like to be friends, look me up. May God our Heavenly Father continue to Bless our Lives.
  
  -Lora”
• “Hi Christine,
  My name is Seana and I have recently met Mario at the YMCA. I go to the M-W-F water class with my Mom, we both have Rheumatoid Arthritis. When I first met Mario I was instantly drawn to him. His story is heartbreaking and when I heard it my first thought was how terrible it must have been for you. A couple of weeks ago I looked on line for information about you guys and I saw some of the photo book but had to stop watching because it made my heart hurt. I had been planning to look again when I wasn’t feeling quite so sensitive. This morning when I called my Mother I became alarmed because she was crying, I asked what was wrong and she told me she was on line looking at the photo book and was also touched by the pictures. (We are both sensitive, marsh-mellowy people.) After I talked to her I went to view the photos again and read all the information, which of course made me cry again but not as bad this time. I have read how people are drawn to Mario and I feel this too. I am also drawn to you and your great courage and spirituality. I also believe we are all one. Watching Mario with Eric is really heart-warming. Eric is a very nice man and I have spoken with him a few times. Mario is such a wonderful spirit and everyone loves him. I just wanted to let you know how touched I am by your strength and belief in the healing power of love. You are an Angel and a Hero. Your whole family is Beautiful and Inspiring. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
  
  Sincerely,
  Seana”
• “HI Christine: I just finished reading your book that I bought at the YVHS70 Class reunion at Castle Rock Park. It is a powerful book. You must be very proud of the work you, your husband, and Miguel put into Mario, and, with your encouragement, got so many others involved with working with Mario.
  
  Unfortunately, that is what it takes to heal the brain-injured. So many families expect the health care providers to bring about that kind of transformational change with just their purchase of health insurance.
  I was impressed with the affirmations that you continually said to Mario, and your constant positive messages to the whole health care providing volunteers that you commandeered!
  
  You and your husband are saints! I wish your family continued recovery and success in his getting an independent living situation. Thank you for writing the book.
  
  I think I told you that I am a speech therapist that works for the public schools. You mentioned something about Mario having trouble with his palate?? I think you must mean his "soft palate" a muscle at the end of the hard (bony) palate that can regulate the air flow going out the mouth or out the nose. It makes sense that he would have lost the ability to control that muscle. It would definitely make a difference in his overall intelligibility. People (children) who have cleft palates at birth have to work on developing that muscle. If you googled Cleft Palate therapy you might get something. Or if you still see a speech therapist you might ask him/her what they know or could find out for you. At this point in Mario’s rehab, he would have to want to improve that part of his speech. Using visualization with humming, going from open mouth, "Ahh" sound to slowly closing the mouth and humming a "mmm" sound (nasalized) would show you the difference in sound. Another technique is to say,"hah!" firmly. That causes the velum (soft palate) to tense up and you can see it in a mirror if you say, "Hah" in the mirror looking at your throat.
  
  It is all about getting volitional control of the muscle. Anyway, good luck.
  
  I enjoyed meeting you at the reunion and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
  
  Take care.”
  by Margo
• “I am SO in LOVE with your book and your family... I was reading it on the plane and I am almost finished already:) I’m sure I will have many questions and comments when I am finally done. It was definitely a highlight meeting you and the book is a gift from God :)”
  by Nancy
• “U were yesterday 7.25.11 at marinez ca, at madd..Ur story is UNBELIEVABLE u got me thinkng alot n u gave me MOTIVATION.. My happend last yr april 2010.. I had my 2 DUI\'S in 2 WEEKS. I thought drinking will make my problems go away. I got really depress I was laid off from my full time job had a part time job but needed to quit because it was to far were I used to work. little money.. didnt have no support of my family (Mom, dad, brothers.) im a single mother of 2 grls. everything just turn down on me..so I started parting alot I thought to myself my daughters r better with out me.i lost everything jobs, no money to support my grls ith no help ith one..to give me a glass of milk..im over aleast 13,000 of debts of tickets, credit cards, lost my apt, my credit at 502 5 colletions in 10,000 plus dui cost.i was givng up in life wnted to died didnt care of anything. having my dui is my biggest mistake I ever had..havng friends partyng r everywhere but when I needed a glass of milk no one gave it to me n including family.this is my reason I wnted to give up in life.. U Say yesterday, ur not a bad person, it just a mistake thts the past move on n forger about it and LEARN for it..Thts is so true. I said to myself u would of rather have mario to b in debts in 10,000 n to not see him like this. I saw ur tears when u put the video o mario. n I said I could still do tht I still have tht oppurtunity I have my young grls 3, 4 yrs old tht need there mom.. I just saw myself im 24 yrs with 2 duis no money no confidence on me always saying im nothing, I have AAS hasnt done anything about it..just thnking death is easier.but is not.OF course I learn my lesson, since yesterday ur presentation gave me hope,enthuasic, faith, to see tht im lucky tht nothing has happend to me..i felt relief.. I hadnt had no full time job since end of 2009.
  
  I dnt knw how it happend today I had a job interview everythng whent well hopefully I get the job has I always been workng front desk agent in hotels. n I came back n I have another interview tomorrow. I wnted to thank u to give me tht encourage tht I was waitng for tht no one has gave it to me since I had my dui\'s. I want to succeed in life for ME n for my grls tht they need me as a friend and has a MOTHER.. thnk u chrisitine, mario”
  by Esmeralda
• “I just flipped through the channels and came upon the presentation done at the discovery house. I am in tears. I live in Concord, crashed my car with a BAC of .23, and was able to walk away. I now attend the center for recovery at john muir. 60 days sober. I am an A\'s fan too! I look forward to attending DVC in the future. I am so very touched by this story. This hits so close to home in so many ways. I really don\'t know what to say but God Bless you Mario and your family. You are an inspiration to my soul and I\'m very glad to have stumbled upon this program. I give you love!”
  by Michelle
• “Thank you for your wonderful book. I came across your book by accident in the rehab library at Kaiser Vallejo. I live in Pinole – not far from Martinez. I was so moved by your story and your commitment to your son that I tabbed and photocopied pages from it before I returned it. My son suffered a SCI on 1/6/2012 while snowboarding in southern California where he attends college. He was transferred from Huntington Hospital in Pasadena to Kaiser Vallejo Rehabilitation center on 1/13 (lucky Friday 13th!). My son’s spinal cord was bruised and his injury is incomplete which means there is a greater chance of return of his motor and sensory functions. With all the powerful prayers and positive healing energy being sent his way we wholeheartedly believe that he will make a full recovery. Moreover, he has amazing perseverance and determination (like you and Mario)
  I was wondering if the HMO you reference in your book is Kaiser. So far, Kaiser has been wonderful to us but I do know that one must learn to “navigate” through their system. We have a meeting today with his doctors and a tentative discharge date has been set that we are not at all comfortable with.
  
  Thanks again for sharing your story. I too truly believe in the miracles of life and the power of love and faith in healing.”
  by Kelly P

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