Finding Magic Mountain: Life with Five Glorious Kids and a Rogue Gene Called FOP

by Carol Zapata-Whelan, Michael Henrickson (Afterword), Frederick S. Kaplan (Foreword by)

Carol Zapata-Whelan describes her son's struggle with the rare genetic disease Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), focusing on the time of diagnosis at age nine to his first year in college (he matriculated as a pre-med student at the University of California, Berkeley, in September 2004). Zapata-Whelan illustrates how this struggle with FOP has shaped and strengthened her family, and how, as a mother, the experience has taught her to put her trust in the universe, and live life one day at a time. Through her son's remarkable grace and strength in dealing with his disease, she has learned that an unexpected encounter with suffering can be a blessing as well. Through flashbacks and anecdotes, Zapata-Whelan leads the reader through the ups and downs of dealing with FOP in everyday life, while offering insight, hope and guidance throughout.

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2006

Reviews

[Hubert Crowell]

After meeting a young girl with FOP, A very rare bone growth disorder, I decided to find out more about it. Finding Magic Mountain by Carol Whelan is about her family life her son Vincent dealing with FOP. Some parts brought tears as she told about the way God worked through his life.
Great reading.