Three Candles

by Will Corcoran

Will Corcoran, captivates all readers with his inspiring book as he shares the compelling stories of two young children, both whom experience life-changing events as 3 year old boys. The first, his son Henry, was diagnosed with a rare, terminal illness – mitochondrial disease. Henry lives life every day to the fullest, never taking no for an answer, never complaining, and always seeing the good in things and people – a wise perspective all would be lucky to have. The second, Will himself, survived unspeakable traumatic child abuse as a young boy, and can’t help but think that experience helps him understand and encourage Henry. Two inspirational stories of survival – Will’s literal survival, and Henry’s desire to live life to the fullest – are stories of hope, faith, love, courage, and perspective. Uplifting and inspirational.

250 pages, Paperback

First published December 19, 2011

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book broke my heart and then glued it back together…
It’s not your typical memoir on a bad childhood, although Corcoran (writing under a pseudonym) certainly had a horrific one. And it’s not a goody-two-shoes “I triumphed and you can too” motivational story that leaves you feeling preached to. Instead, Corcoran simply writes about his life, detailing childhood memories but leaving out his reaction to them (you figure that out on your own…). Demonstrating the small steps he took daily to move away from the horror, he never tries to promote himself above regular-guy status. Which makes his journey from child to successful adult that much more endearing.
As an adult, Corcoran becomes a caring and involved parent, but suddenly finds himself in another fight. His son Henry is born with severe health issues that take years to be fully diagnosed. Ultimately, the family learns that Henry’s diet and health problems are permanent, and that it will take family unity and perseverance to move forward. The focus then becomes on how to make Henry’s life as normal and happy as possible…kind of a tough thing to learn when you haven’t had a “normal” childhood yourself.
Throughout, readers get a glimpse of the frustration families endure, especially children, when searching for a diagnosis. Especially noteworthy is the way Corcoran and his wife unitedly tackle the problems they face, each in different ways but never at odds. They make a special effort to help their other children remain important in their lives when Henry’s illness gets so much of their attention. Best of all is Henry, a sweet kid that doesn’t ask for pity.
This book was especially powerful for me, as I had a baby in the NICU at the same time as Henry. I can relate to those scenes where you just don’t know what is going on and you are scared to death. I can’t express enough how uncontrived and real this book is…too many memoirs slide into whining or blame. This does neither. Instead, you feel, not that your own problems are meaningless—because pain is pain—no matter what, but that you can endure them and get through with dignity and grace.
Be warned: there is a scene early on with a small teddy bear in pieces that will break your heart. I had to put it down for awhile…

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since a book grabbed me emotionally the way "Three Candles" did. It's a remarkable story told by the author, Will Corcoran. It's two stories, actually. The first is a sickening tale of unrelenting physical and emotional abuse of the author by his father, a story that goes from the author's earliest childhood memories and continues even into adulthood. The other story is about Will and his wife Ann, and their efforts to cope with raising a child born with a life-threatening disease. As unrelated as the two stories may appear, there was a connection, as the author struggled to escape his past and not follow in his father's footsteps.

The two stories are threaded together, with the chapters alternating between Will's childhood and young adult years, and scenes of Will's family as he and Ann raise their children, including Henry, who was born with a serious disease for which there is no cure. With all this, you might reasonably expect the story to be grim and depressing, but it wasn't. Will and Ann were determined to live life to the fullest and give all their children the best lives they could have, regardless of their expected lifespans.

Henry Corcoran was born on June 27, 2007. It soon became evident that he was suffering from a serious physical ailment. Much of the story was like a medical mystery, as various doctors and teams of doctors tried to diagnose the problem. But even with the bad news that the diagnosis brought, the family "learned how to ride the storm out, appreciate every minute, and keep fear at bay."

Three Candles was one of the most uplifting stories that I've ever read. The author credits his faith in God to help him endure the trials that lay ahead. It's a truly amazing story of how one family coped with adversity.

There are a some photos of Henry in the book. There are more photos on a website for "Henry's Hope," an organization founded by the author to provide children with life-threatening diseases with the care they need, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Three Candles is an memorable story, and I guarantee that you'll fall in love with Henry, as I did.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to review from BookRooster.com and am happy I did. It was disturbing to read about the author's terrible childhood. How he survived it I will never know. That he was able to be such a caring and loving father is a miracle. And that he is. You can feel the love when he talks about his children. Henry came alive for me and I am still thinking about him. What a wise child!
The lesson this book taught me was to be present in your life and live it to the fullest.

[Stephanie Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these kids.