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Living Underwater: A true story of laughter, love, hope and happiness in the face of extreme adversity
Kati’s life changed forever when at just twenty years old she had a stroke, which took away her ability to speak and left her paralysed - locked in. However, her determination, strength of character and spirit soared, as she learnt to surrender to her circumstances and flourish. Imagine being unable to move or speak with no chance of recovery. How do you communicate with anyone? How do you stop yourself falling into the depths of depression? How can you live a meaningful life? Kati’s first goal had been to survive. Now she empowers others to not just survive, but to thrive against any odds. This is a book of laughter, love, hope and happiness in the face of extreme adversity. It will lift your spirits and guide you to overcome your own difficulties and live your best-ever life. ‘We learn best by living’ - Kati van der Hoeven
‘Whether you care for the disabled or are physically disabled yourself — Whether you struggle against illness or watch as another close to you struggles — If ever you’ve searched for a story of perseverance, love, and joy when happily-ever-after meets real life, Kati’s story is for you. In life, we are each dealt a deck of cards, and depending on how we choose to play them, life turns out… Wonderfully. Kati was a young international model when, at 21, she had a stroke which left her Locked-In. Paralyzed and unable to speak, Kati had to learn how to communicate with her eyes and with her heart. Today, some twenty years later, she tells her story of pain, adversity, and hope, a unique story that will touch your heart and help you to overcome whatever odds you might face. The power of hope, the power of love, the power of laughter all converge in this book to encourage us to face each hurdle as a challenge to make us stronger. This is Kati’s story and it can be your story too. Kati is sharing her story in the hope that readers around the world will share in her love of life and her gift of laughter, knowing that everything can be overcome with heart, patience, perseverance, and hope.’ – Sarah Tun
‘Whether you care for the disabled or are physically disabled yourself — Whether you struggle against illness or watch as another close to you struggles — If ever you’ve searched for a story of perseverance, love, and joy when happily-ever-after meets real life, Kati’s story is for you. In life, we are each dealt a deck of cards, and depending on how we choose to play them, life turns out… Wonderfully. Kati was a young international model when, at 21, she had a stroke which left her Locked-In. Paralyzed and unable to speak, Kati had to learn how to communicate with her eyes and with her heart. Today, some twenty years later, she tells her story of pain, adversity, and hope, a unique story that will touch your heart and help you to overcome whatever odds you might face. The power of hope, the power of love, the power of laughter all converge in this book to encourage us to face each hurdle as a challenge to make us stronger. This is Kati’s story and it can be your story too. Kati is sharing her story in the hope that readers around the world will share in her love of life and her gift of laughter, knowing that everything can be overcome with heart, patience, perseverance, and hope.’ – Sarah Tun
455 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2019
13 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 24, 2019
Incredibly inspirational
I suffered a stroke and have a bunch of frustrations in life. So, reading about Kati and her positive attitude in a much worse condition than me has really inspired me to continue to push past my limitations and LIVE!
I suffered a stroke and have a bunch of frustrations in life. So, reading about Kati and her positive attitude in a much worse condition than me has really inspired me to continue to push past my limitations and LIVE!
July 22, 2022
LIVING UNDERWATER is a story of a beautiful young lady who suffered an extraordinary loss, but finds joy (and so much more) following a devastating ailment. Told in her own words, the author takes the reader through the physical challenges and emotional hardships one must face to accept and find happiness after catastrophic loss. “She has learnt to surrender to her circumstances and she has thrived”.
“Sometimes in life, you cannot change your circumstances, but you can learn to live within them”, Katie van der Hoeven.
The reader is transported on a roller coaster ride of despair (“My heart is broken and my soul is empty”), anger, hope, accomplishment, and happiness. Kati shares her story with humility and love. “We have to be grateful to the people we meet. Sometimes they are nice, and sometimes they are not. But each encounter happens to helps us become better at what we’re meant to be doing”.
The more one learns about Kati and her remarkable journey, the more one wants to know about this exceptional person. Kati’s story is one of courage, strength, resilience, and how love can make us stronger.
“Sometimes in life, you cannot change your circumstances, but you can learn to live within them”, Katie van der Hoeven.
The reader is transported on a roller coaster ride of despair (“My heart is broken and my soul is empty”), anger, hope, accomplishment, and happiness. Kati shares her story with humility and love. “We have to be grateful to the people we meet. Sometimes they are nice, and sometimes they are not. But each encounter happens to helps us become better at what we’re meant to be doing”.
The more one learns about Kati and her remarkable journey, the more one wants to know about this exceptional person. Kati’s story is one of courage, strength, resilience, and how love can make us stronger.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews