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Twice Blessed: A Story of Unconditional Love
A deeply moving memoir of love, resilience, and identity, chronicling one family’s journey through adoption, caregiving, and the profound connections that define us
Twice Blessed is a beautifully written memoir that explores the depths of love, resilience, and the true meaning of family. Stefanie Mercado Altman, Claire Altman, and Stan Altman share an intimate and inspiring story about the bonds that define us, from adoption to caregiving and beyond. When Stefanie was adopted by Claire and Stan, their family was built on love and trust rather than biology. As they navigated the joys and struggles of parenting, they faced challenges that tested their resilience, including Stefanie’s search for identity and connection with her birth mother, Rosa, a gifted artist whose struggles with AIDS cast a long shadow.
From the highs of new beginnings to the heartbreak of loss, Twice Blessed captures the complexities of relationships and the sacrifices made in the name of love. The story unfolds with warmth, humor, and honesty, offering a powerful perspective on what it means to belong. Through Stefanie’s journey of self-discovery and the family’s steadfast devotion, the book paints a vivid portrait of compassion and perseverance.
Engaging and deeply moving, Twice Blessed speaks to anyone who has ever questioned their place in the world or searched for a deeper understanding of family. This book will resonate with fans of personal memoirs, adoption narratives, and heartfelt stories about love that transcends boundaries.
Twice Blessed is a beautifully written memoir that explores the depths of love, resilience, and the true meaning of family. Stefanie Mercado Altman, Claire Altman, and Stan Altman share an intimate and inspiring story about the bonds that define us, from adoption to caregiving and beyond. When Stefanie was adopted by Claire and Stan, their family was built on love and trust rather than biology. As they navigated the joys and struggles of parenting, they faced challenges that tested their resilience, including Stefanie’s search for identity and connection with her birth mother, Rosa, a gifted artist whose struggles with AIDS cast a long shadow.
From the highs of new beginnings to the heartbreak of loss, Twice Blessed captures the complexities of relationships and the sacrifices made in the name of love. The story unfolds with warmth, humor, and honesty, offering a powerful perspective on what it means to belong. Through Stefanie’s journey of self-discovery and the family’s steadfast devotion, the book paints a vivid portrait of compassion and perseverance.
Engaging and deeply moving, Twice Blessed speaks to anyone who has ever questioned their place in the world or searched for a deeper understanding of family. This book will resonate with fans of personal memoirs, adoption narratives, and heartfelt stories about love that transcends boundaries.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 28, 2025
Disclaimer that Claire Altman is my cousin [picture in the book from her and Stan's wedding shows my parents], but with all the objectivity I can muster......this is a great read, alternating the voices of Stan, Claire, and their daughter Stephanie in describing their eventful (to say the least) adoption story in the wake of the death from AIDS of Stephanie's bio mother.
There's necessarily a lot of detail related to family law, but for once it did not seem to be mainly the fault of the legal system that the process took so long and was so painful, more a matter of the active opposition of the deceased bio mother's partner and brother.
In addition to the profound family love story referenced by subtitle, you get a clear picture of what energetic doers all three are. Their 9/11 story for instance isn't (only) about the horror of being in NYC that day but also about their jumping in immediately to set up a process for making meals for hundreds of first responders every day for a couple months. More generally, their willingness and ability to pitch in effectively for their family and community in so many ways over the years is inspiring.
There's necessarily a lot of detail related to family law, but for once it did not seem to be mainly the fault of the legal system that the process took so long and was so painful, more a matter of the active opposition of the deceased bio mother's partner and brother.
In addition to the profound family love story referenced by subtitle, you get a clear picture of what energetic doers all three are. Their 9/11 story for instance isn't (only) about the horror of being in NYC that day but also about their jumping in immediately to set up a process for making meals for hundreds of first responders every day for a couple months. More generally, their willingness and ability to pitch in effectively for their family and community in so many ways over the years is inspiring.
January 20, 2026
This is an amazing story of a family that persevered in spite of many obstacles-
I found the story profoundly moving and uplifting-I could not stop reading it and was rooting for
Stephanie every step of the way!
I found the story profoundly moving and uplifting-I could not stop reading it and was rooting for
Stephanie every step of the way!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews