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Emma's Laugh: The Gift of Second Chances - A Memoir
As Diana surveyed her newborn baby's face, languid body, and absent cry, she knew something was wrong. Then the doctors delivered devastating news: her first child, Emma, had been born with a rare genetic disorder that would leave her profoundly physically and intellectually disabled.
Diana imagined life with a child with disabilities as a dark and insular one―a life in which she would be forced to exist in the periphery alongside her daughter. Convinced of her inability to love her “imperfect” child and give her the best care and life she deserved, Diana gave Emma up for adoption. But as with all things that are meant to be, Emma found her way back home.
As Emma grew, Diana watched her live life determinedly and unapologetically, radiating love always. Emma evolved from a survivor to a warrior, and the little girl that Diana didn’t think she could love enough rearranged her heart. In her short eighteen years of life, Emma gifted her family the indelible lesson of the healing and redemptive power of love.
This is a mother’s requiem to her perfectly imperfect child―a child who left too soon, but whose lessons continue to inspire a life lived and loved.
Diana imagined life with a child with disabilities as a dark and insular one―a life in which she would be forced to exist in the periphery alongside her daughter. Convinced of her inability to love her “imperfect” child and give her the best care and life she deserved, Diana gave Emma up for adoption. But as with all things that are meant to be, Emma found her way back home.
As Emma grew, Diana watched her live life determinedly and unapologetically, radiating love always. Emma evolved from a survivor to a warrior, and the little girl that Diana didn’t think she could love enough rearranged her heart. In her short eighteen years of life, Emma gifted her family the indelible lesson of the healing and redemptive power of love.
This is a mother’s requiem to her perfectly imperfect child―a child who left too soon, but whose lessons continue to inspire a life lived and loved.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
April 16, 2021
Of all the life stories in the world, I imagine the loss of a young child is one of the most heartbreaking to tell. With grace, understanding, and beautiful writing, Diana Kupershmit shares her grief of having lost her daughter, Emma, a precious child born with a rare genetic disorder. The reader gets to witness Kupershmit’s transformation from a worried and frightened new mother to a caring lady with endless love and acceptance. The power of her story lies in the truth that the worth of a soul is great, no matter how different his/her outer appearance looks in the eye of the world. Emma’s glorious memory will continue to inspire, motivate, and touch the hearts of those who read this book.
January 18, 2022
I knew this was going to pull the heartstrings going into it. But it's actually such a beautiful, raw and honest memoir about a mother and her daughter, who was born with a rare genetic disorder that leaves her disabled. This is an open look at the fear and struggle for caring for a child with such disabilities. Also the love and understanding from a mother who at first put her daughter up for adoption and later got her back. A deeply moving memoir so full of emotion and triumph. When I look at the cover it makes me smile and shed a tear.
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
March 6, 2021
With a voice that is crisp and clear, Kupershmit shares the story of her daughter, Emma, and the earthshaking decisions that came with parenting such an exceptional girl. Faced with situations that most parents are spared, Kupershmit takes us into her darkest moments with tenderness and grace. What shines the brightest is the joy that is set free when we accept that instead of controlling outcomes perhaps our greatest responsibility is in surrendering to the possibility that our children come with their own plan for how they will live and what they will teach.
April 16, 2021
A tribute to human spirit and all-enduring love.
A moving and deeply revealing story of one mother's journey through
emotional and physical challenges of accepting, nurturing and
raising a special child, through unparalleled grief and loss,
and ultimately through a very personal choice of sharing her
life with the world.
Diana's book is a chance for all of its readers to meet Emma
and fall in love with her. It's a chance for everyone to see
that mother's heart will conquer even the most
unimaginable of losses and like a phoenix will rise and continue rising
despite it all.
A quote from an unknown author sums up Diana Kupershmit's
literary debut quite brilliantly: Grief never ends...but it changes.
It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign
of weakness, nor a lack of faith...It is a price of love.
A moving and deeply revealing story of one mother's journey through
emotional and physical challenges of accepting, nurturing and
raising a special child, through unparalleled grief and loss,
and ultimately through a very personal choice of sharing her
life with the world.
Diana's book is a chance for all of its readers to meet Emma
and fall in love with her. It's a chance for everyone to see
that mother's heart will conquer even the most
unimaginable of losses and like a phoenix will rise and continue rising
despite it all.
A quote from an unknown author sums up Diana Kupershmit's
literary debut quite brilliantly: Grief never ends...but it changes.
It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign
of weakness, nor a lack of faith...It is a price of love.
April 23, 2023
5 stars
I have fallen in love with Emma too! This is a raw and beautiful story of parenting and all that comes with it.
I have fallen in love with Emma too! This is a raw and beautiful story of parenting and all that comes with it.
March 2, 2021
An inspirational, tragic, brutally real glimpse into life as a parent of a child with significant, life-changing special needs--plus two average-needs kids. As a parent of average-needs kids, I was amazed and humbled by the acceptance, resilience and love Diana Kupershmit writes about herself and her family in the face of an extremely difficult situation (many difficult situations, actually). Not "just" a diary-like memoir, Ms. Kupershmit infuses her writing with poetic phrasing and personal honesty and insight that reads as though you're peeking into her private journal, or perhaps having a well-deserved coffee break to catch up with an old friend.
June 2, 2021
Emma’s Laugh will move your soul. Diana so vividly draws
us into her world with dripping emotion. She anchors us into the story through her beautiful imagery. She so eloquently describes life’s rawest but most awe-inspiring moments.
She tells us the story of how Emma’s beautiful life transformed her and all whom she encountered.
Most think that it is the parent’s job to teach their children life’s most important lessons, but Diana shows us how our children are the ones who have life’s greatest lessons within them. All we need to do is realize them.
us into her world with dripping emotion. She anchors us into the story through her beautiful imagery. She so eloquently describes life’s rawest but most awe-inspiring moments.
She tells us the story of how Emma’s beautiful life transformed her and all whom she encountered.
Most think that it is the parent’s job to teach their children life’s most important lessons, but Diana shows us how our children are the ones who have life’s greatest lessons within them. All we need to do is realize them.
July 1, 2021
When Diana’s baby was placed on her chest after giving birth, she instinctively knew something wasn’t right. She and her husband later learned her first child was born with a chromosomal anomaly, one unique to their child.
Emma’s Laugh is a beautiful dedication to a child born with special needs. With grace and grit, Diana Kuperschmidt details her life with Emma. Emma endures surgeries, illness, and setbacks but also sees triumphs, joy and sweeping love.
I’m so thankful to know Emma now through the author’s words. It is beautifully written and a brave and honest look inside a mother’s whole world.
May her memory be a blessing.
Emma’s Laugh is a beautiful dedication to a child born with special needs. With grace and grit, Diana Kuperschmidt details her life with Emma. Emma endures surgeries, illness, and setbacks but also sees triumphs, joy and sweeping love.
I’m so thankful to know Emma now through the author’s words. It is beautifully written and a brave and honest look inside a mother’s whole world.
May her memory be a blessing.
July 21, 2021
The author's first-born daughter, Emma, was born with a rare genetic disorder that left her profoundly physically and intellectually disabled. The book touches on themes of rejection and acceptance and forgiveness and belonging. Convinced of her inability to love and how difficult it would be to raise a special needs child, the author gave her daughter up for adoption. But eventually, she was able to get Emma back and never realized how much her daughter would change her life.
The author was so open in this book. She talked about her daughter's special needs, her struggle with putting her up for adoption, the complicated feelings around getting Emma back, and facing all the medical issues. I felt the pain and emotion in this story. Her honesty around her self-doubt as a mother, her relationship with her husband, and how they dealt with this hardship as a team was so real and inspiring.
She writes, "Emma was the fulcrum upon which I teetered. She was my perfectly imperfect child, my teacher, my sage, and I loved her more for it. She elevated to the surface my worst fears and perceived flaws and shed light on them so that they no longer had the power to possess me, to threaten my existence. By casting the focus on her care and well-being, Emma relieved me of the burden of self-obsession, to be perfect and lead a perfect life. I was less a prisoner to others' judgment and no longer succumbed to the anxieties that so mercilessly plagued my psyche in years past. It was as if by taking on my pain, she freed me of my existential wounds just as I had wanted to do for her all those times she hurt."
My favorite passage was this, "Emma helped me navigate the tangled pathways of my heart and rearranged it. From her, I learned that sometimes you find beauty where you least expect it. In her, I found beauty and wisdom, and grace. This little girl, who in my youthful ignorance I believed was broken, had healed me because it was me that was broken all along."
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/dia...
The author was so open in this book. She talked about her daughter's special needs, her struggle with putting her up for adoption, the complicated feelings around getting Emma back, and facing all the medical issues. I felt the pain and emotion in this story. Her honesty around her self-doubt as a mother, her relationship with her husband, and how they dealt with this hardship as a team was so real and inspiring.
She writes, "Emma was the fulcrum upon which I teetered. She was my perfectly imperfect child, my teacher, my sage, and I loved her more for it. She elevated to the surface my worst fears and perceived flaws and shed light on them so that they no longer had the power to possess me, to threaten my existence. By casting the focus on her care and well-being, Emma relieved me of the burden of self-obsession, to be perfect and lead a perfect life. I was less a prisoner to others' judgment and no longer succumbed to the anxieties that so mercilessly plagued my psyche in years past. It was as if by taking on my pain, she freed me of my existential wounds just as I had wanted to do for her all those times she hurt."
My favorite passage was this, "Emma helped me navigate the tangled pathways of my heart and rearranged it. From her, I learned that sometimes you find beauty where you least expect it. In her, I found beauty and wisdom, and grace. This little girl, who in my youthful ignorance I believed was broken, had healed me because it was me that was broken all along."
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/dia...
March 9, 2021
In this memoir, Diana Kupershmit invites you into her family. An immigrant family with high expectations for their children. A family full of talent, love and warmth. When they are faced with the birth of a special needs child, they fear that all their expectations for their children will never be realized. They are faced with decisions that no parent should every have to make.
And yet, Emma's presence in the family gives them a new perspective on parenting, expectations and their own emotional strength.
This book will have you look at your own children, whether disabled or not and force you to reevaluate what is important and how to approach each child as an individual.
Emma changed her family, in so many ways, and this book will change the reader as well.
I laughed, cried and thought hard about what I should be as a mother.
This is a must read!
And yet, Emma's presence in the family gives them a new perspective on parenting, expectations and their own emotional strength.
This book will have you look at your own children, whether disabled or not and force you to reevaluate what is important and how to approach each child as an individual.
Emma changed her family, in so many ways, and this book will change the reader as well.
I laughed, cried and thought hard about what I should be as a mother.
This is a must read!
July 20, 2021
Diana’s writing was one of the first things to catch my attention. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but in all honesty I didn’t expect it to envelop me the way it did. Her writing style conveyed a heartfelt, emotional story that was extremely easy to feel and visualize.
After giving birth to her first child, Diana immediately knew something wasn’t right when the baby was placed on her chest. She later learned that Emma was born with a chromosomal anomaly that caused significant physical and developmental disabilities.
While it no doubt helped to label what had happened, Diana and her husband, Tolya, were left with many questions and decisions. Would they ever be able to have healthy children? Would they be capable of caring for a child as needy as Emma? Even if they could care for her, what would be best for Emma?
It is obvious that Emma’s Laugh is written in an attempt to share the author’s deepest feelings, even when it doesn’t always show her in the best light. I could easily see a woman who was depicting herself as human, with feelings that nearly all of us would have wrestled with.
This inspirational book kept me turning pages. Though I can’t begin to know the major ups and downs of caring for a child who requires so much. Diana shares her true emotions with us. The tears and the laughter.
This story was truly an eye-opener. It provided a degree of understanding to what it’s like to love and care for a child who needs so much more than most of us are prepared to offer.
My Concerns
None
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this beautiful tribute which allows Emma to touch so many hearts with her happy spirit and laugh. This story chronicles the rollercoaster ride of unanswered questions and emotions that new parents face when a sweet, special needs child comes into their life.
And last but not least, this special memoir shares the love and lessons that Emma shared with her family.
My thanks to the author for a copy of this book and the ability to post a review with no stipulations.
After giving birth to her first child, Diana immediately knew something wasn’t right when the baby was placed on her chest. She later learned that Emma was born with a chromosomal anomaly that caused significant physical and developmental disabilities.
While it no doubt helped to label what had happened, Diana and her husband, Tolya, were left with many questions and decisions. Would they ever be able to have healthy children? Would they be capable of caring for a child as needy as Emma? Even if they could care for her, what would be best for Emma?
It is obvious that Emma’s Laugh is written in an attempt to share the author’s deepest feelings, even when it doesn’t always show her in the best light. I could easily see a woman who was depicting herself as human, with feelings that nearly all of us would have wrestled with.
This inspirational book kept me turning pages. Though I can’t begin to know the major ups and downs of caring for a child who requires so much. Diana shares her true emotions with us. The tears and the laughter.
This story was truly an eye-opener. It provided a degree of understanding to what it’s like to love and care for a child who needs so much more than most of us are prepared to offer.
My Concerns
None
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this beautiful tribute which allows Emma to touch so many hearts with her happy spirit and laugh. This story chronicles the rollercoaster ride of unanswered questions and emotions that new parents face when a sweet, special needs child comes into their life.
And last but not least, this special memoir shares the love and lessons that Emma shared with her family.
My thanks to the author for a copy of this book and the ability to post a review with no stipulations.
April 16, 2021
To understand what a life is like, how living that life has created and changed a person is one of the most potent and enduring gifts of memoir. Diana Kupershmit’s memoir Emma’s Laugh does just that. It grabs you by the heart and pulls you along to witness a mother’s evolution caring for her mentally and physically atypical daughter, raising 2 other children, building a career in social services and then as a photographer, and doing her utmost to keep her marriage healthy.
Ms. Kupershmit is honest about her fears and levels with the reader about her perceived shortcomings. She bares it all: from the grueling day-to-day routine of caring for her differently-abled daughter, the frequent health complications that arise, to her self-doubt and guilt about her choices.
Her story is a lesson in resilience and insight gained from so many hard and uncertain years. She offers practical and illuminating perspective throughout her memoir that serve as a reminder that some of our most difficult experiences are the ones we ultimately wouldn’t change because of what they have given us. An excerpt:
“I took inventory of the lessons Emma taught us in her silent yet wise way: that life is hard but worth fighting for, to be heard; to be seen; to appreciate the gifts you have, the ability of speech, ambulation, sovereignty over your thoughts, actions.”
Most of all I grew to know Emma and became so fond of her. Her spirit, her humor, and her strength beam from the page, a testament to her mother’s love and the power of this memoir.
Ms. Kupershmit is honest about her fears and levels with the reader about her perceived shortcomings. She bares it all: from the grueling day-to-day routine of caring for her differently-abled daughter, the frequent health complications that arise, to her self-doubt and guilt about her choices.
Her story is a lesson in resilience and insight gained from so many hard and uncertain years. She offers practical and illuminating perspective throughout her memoir that serve as a reminder that some of our most difficult experiences are the ones we ultimately wouldn’t change because of what they have given us. An excerpt:
“I took inventory of the lessons Emma taught us in her silent yet wise way: that life is hard but worth fighting for, to be heard; to be seen; to appreciate the gifts you have, the ability of speech, ambulation, sovereignty over your thoughts, actions.”
Most of all I grew to know Emma and became so fond of her. Her spirit, her humor, and her strength beam from the page, a testament to her mother’s love and the power of this memoir.
March 7, 2021
As a mother to a special child, I can relate to so much of this story. Diana’s struggles when her daughter was born, the challenges of raising a differently able child, and all of the lessons she learned thanks to her amazing daughter. But, even though I can relate, reading her story from the outside helped me reflect on my own experiences in a different way. Parents of different children will see themselves in the author and will gain wisdom from her journey. And others who do not have a similar experience will read a heartwarming story that gives a glimpse of the struggles and joys of parenting a different child. A great read that will leave you feeling a warmth in your heart for a long time. I wasn't able to meet Emma in person and enjoy her the way so many others did. But after reading this book, I got as close to her as possible. Thank you, Diana, for sharing Emma’s life with us.
July 6, 2021
A story of pure love...
Diana Kupershmit is one of the most soulful and heartfelt storytellers I have had the pleasure of reading. I could not put this book down, as the words rolled off the page straight to my heart, I felt myself holding my breath as this poignant tribute unfolded in the most honest and tender way. It's not just a story of a mother's love or of a disabled child, it is the story of resilience and of gratitude for life and family. I challenge you to try to put this book down until the last chapter and when you do, I expect that you will feel a deep appreciation for the author's ability to put a voice to her beloved daughter Emma's reminder that life is precious and extraordinary.
Diana Kupershmit is one of the most soulful and heartfelt storytellers I have had the pleasure of reading. I could not put this book down, as the words rolled off the page straight to my heart, I felt myself holding my breath as this poignant tribute unfolded in the most honest and tender way. It's not just a story of a mother's love or of a disabled child, it is the story of resilience and of gratitude for life and family. I challenge you to try to put this book down until the last chapter and when you do, I expect that you will feel a deep appreciation for the author's ability to put a voice to her beloved daughter Emma's reminder that life is precious and extraordinary.
March 14, 2021
My favorite books are those that can manage to make me laugh and cry between the two covers. Emma's Laugh did just that. As a mother who has experienced the death of a child, I was deeply moved by this story. Diana Kupershmit opens the door and invites us in to bear witness to her family's struggles and triumphs as they navigate life with their very special daughter. There are many uplifting moments. You will finish this book, but Emma will stay with you.
The next time you meet a child with special needs, you will not want to look away. Say hello. Maybe you'll be rewarded with a special smile.
The next time you meet a child with special needs, you will not want to look away. Say hello. Maybe you'll be rewarded with a special smile.
June 8, 2021
A transformative, truthful story. The author candidly shares her struggles after learning that her newborn daughter has a rare genetic disorder that causes significant physical and developmental disability. At first, she can’t accept it, but later embraces the journey wholeheartedly. The gift of the book is that, without romanticizing the challenges their family faced, the author brings Emma beautifully to life on the page. As readers, we experience Emma’s uniquely joyful personality over her too-short lifetime and grieve her loss.
January 12, 2022
is a heartbreaking memoir about the loss of a young child.
It was so difficult to read about all the challenges Diana Kupershmit faced. From being scared to a mother with endless love.
In this story you get to know Emma as a special kid, she was born with a rarer genetic disorder.
, the author brilliantly takes us into her world you get to love her with all you hear. Diana's story moved my soul. As she described how her world was changed and transformed.
Diana Kupershmit shares her feeling with us in the darkest moments of her life.
This was an inspirational memoir and a page-turner. Emma’s story touched my heart and I cried and laughed with Diana throughout this beautifully written memoir.
It was so difficult to read about all the challenges Diana Kupershmit faced. From being scared to a mother with endless love.
In this story you get to know Emma as a special kid, she was born with a rarer genetic disorder.
, the author brilliantly takes us into her world you get to love her with all you hear. Diana's story moved my soul. As she described how her world was changed and transformed.
Diana Kupershmit shares her feeling with us in the darkest moments of her life.
This was an inspirational memoir and a page-turner. Emma’s story touched my heart and I cried and laughed with Diana throughout this beautifully written memoir.
March 2, 2021
I am honored to have had the pleasure of reading Emma's Laugh in advance!
Emma’s Laugh is a beautiful and inspirational memoir about a mother and her daughter who was born with disabilities.
With each chapter Diana opens her world with vivid, deeply personal and powerful words that create an undeniable connection between her and Emma.
Diana takes you through a personal journey of love, and devastating loss, You will cry, you will laugh but most of all you will walk away with an open heart.
My wish is that everyone reads this book just to get a sense of what it is like to raise a child with special needs and help others to create self awareness and acceptance of a rainbow human-beings the way Ms. Kupershmit accepted her beautiful daughter and introduced her to the world!
Emma’s Laugh is a beautiful and inspirational memoir about a mother and her daughter who was born with disabilities.
With each chapter Diana opens her world with vivid, deeply personal and powerful words that create an undeniable connection between her and Emma.
Diana takes you through a personal journey of love, and devastating loss, You will cry, you will laugh but most of all you will walk away with an open heart.
My wish is that everyone reads this book just to get a sense of what it is like to raise a child with special needs and help others to create self awareness and acceptance of a rainbow human-beings the way Ms. Kupershmit accepted her beautiful daughter and introduced her to the world!
Read
January 19, 2022“Grief forces us to remember, and I never wanted to forget.”
Memoirs are my favorite kind of books because when they’re done well, you get a glimpse into a life very different from your own. Kupershmit very candidly shared her life as a mother to someone with a rare genetic disorder. She shared her shame, struggles, triumphs, and sorrow. From the daily care tasks to the insensitivities of others to the hard decisions, Emma’s Laugh was an emotional read about enduring love.
Memoirs are my favorite kind of books because when they’re done well, you get a glimpse into a life very different from your own. Kupershmit very candidly shared her life as a mother to someone with a rare genetic disorder. She shared her shame, struggles, triumphs, and sorrow. From the daily care tasks to the insensitivities of others to the hard decisions, Emma’s Laugh was an emotional read about enduring love.
July 4, 2021
Won a copy of this. Story begins when time for Diana to go to hospital to have her first baby. Anyone would be excited, but when her small baby girl born, not even a whimper or cry to let everyone she arrived. Something wrong, and took her out for tests. Author already has the reader hooked. Very emotion filled book. At times eyes could fill with tears, with the pain you know both Diana and husband going thru. Would recommend to others.
June 13, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this memoir and learning about Diana and her family. It is a beautifully written memoir, easy to read, and Diana’s honesty is courageous and admirable. She really lets you into her world and most inner thoughts, as if you were reading her journal. Because of that, I found myself never putting down Emma’s Laugh. I mostly loved Diana’s family anecdotes - they were timely placed as comic relief to this story filled with heavy emotion. Thank you Diana for sharing Emma’s story!
May 19, 2021
As you read this book you will experience oceans of emotion. Finish it, and you’ll realize that all those emotions were really just one -- love wrapped in commitment.
August 6, 2021
"Emma's Laugh" by Diana Kupershmit is a unique story of a heartwrenching choice and a family's love for a child with a rare genetic disorder who was profoundly physically and intellectually disabled. It is a beautifully written and compelling story.
August 2, 2021
Ahhh the simple purity of a laugh that says what words cannot!
Emma’s Laugh is the beautiful retelling of the profound impact a perfectly imperfect little baby born with severe disabilities had on Diana, her mother. Diana takes us through the heart-breaking twists and turns as she describes how she traveled this journey with her daughter and family. Not knowing if she could handle the challenge, she learns that the joy of being with her child brought treasures she had no idea existed before. Only to discover an inner strength bolstered by joy, she sees what matters the most in this world—happiness discovered through the simplest things—like the beauty of Emma’s infectious laugh!
Emma’s Laugh is the beautiful retelling of the profound impact a perfectly imperfect little baby born with severe disabilities had on Diana, her mother. Diana takes us through the heart-breaking twists and turns as she describes how she traveled this journey with her daughter and family. Not knowing if she could handle the challenge, she learns that the joy of being with her child brought treasures she had no idea existed before. Only to discover an inner strength bolstered by joy, she sees what matters the most in this world—happiness discovered through the simplest things—like the beauty of Emma’s infectious laugh!
July 3, 2021
A BEAUTIFUL BOOK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ!
Emma’s Laugh is one of those books that you will not close the last page and move on to another book right away. The story and the writing will stay with you for a long time. This memoir is beautiful from beginning to end and Diana Kupershmit’s writing takes you on a journey of sadness, joy and the pure honesty with having a child with disabilities, raising that child, and saying goodbye to that child. I feel like I knew Emma and all her gifts, and I genuinely cried at the end of the book, which I don’t usually do. This story touched me more than any other memoir I’ve read, and I know so many people will relate to this family. I can’t say enough great things about this book.
Emma’s Laugh is one of those books that you will not close the last page and move on to another book right away. The story and the writing will stay with you for a long time. This memoir is beautiful from beginning to end and Diana Kupershmit’s writing takes you on a journey of sadness, joy and the pure honesty with having a child with disabilities, raising that child, and saying goodbye to that child. I feel like I knew Emma and all her gifts, and I genuinely cried at the end of the book, which I don’t usually do. This story touched me more than any other memoir I’ve read, and I know so many people will relate to this family. I can’t say enough great things about this book.
March 3, 2021
One of the most amazing books I have read. The author's candidness, emotions, feelings and trauma are incredibly gut wrenching and transformational. Her ability to verbalize her truest feelings provide for an incredible read. Her life story is informative, insightful and, most of all, inspirational--giving people a glimpse into her most private life story. It also provides a wealth of information on the emotional development and behavioral and physical challenges of a disabled child. The book is a true inspiration to many parents raising special needs children.
August 21, 2021
From the moment I started reading Emma’s Laugh through to the very end, I felt a part of Emma’s life. Diana’s amazing way of including her readers in her daughter’s story had me in tears, empathizing, laughing, and cheering right along with her. I could feel Diana’s every fear, joy, victory, and sorrow. Her raw emotion pulled me right in, and I was loving Emma as much as if she were my own daughter. Like every person whose life Emma touched with her unique personality, she has left an indelible mark on my soul with her unique laugh and her ability to see only the important things in life. Emma’s life may have been a short one, but her laugh and fighting spirit was certainly far-reaching!
June 19, 2021
I devoured this book in a day. The honesty is incredible. Special needs parents are truly warriors. Highly recommended this memoir.
July 1, 2021
Diana and Tolya did everything right in preparing for their baby's birth, but when Emma was born, she was born with a chromosomal anomaly, a fluke in how the chromosomes were attached and a condition that not much was known about in terms of what that would mean for quality of life for Emma. However, the Dr. estimated that Emma would have a year to live.
Diana and Tolya made a heart wrenching decision to put Emma up for adoption and found an Orthodox Jewish family with 3 adopted children with down syndrome that was eager to take Emma in. However, after not even a full year, there's a turn of events where Diana and Tolya find the circumstances under which they gave Emma up for adoption were not fully transparent and they use that to adopt Emma back.
This is a hard read in so many ways. There were so many hard choices that D+T had to make and unless you have been in their place, I don't think any of us can really know how we would have reacted. The stigmatization that Diana must have felt is something that all mothers, all parents, who go through this must feel through no fault of their own and yet are conditioned to believe that because the baby is not "normal" this reflects back personally on them as something they've done wrong, for which they should be ashamed.
What is very evident is that Diana rose to meet that and many more challenges and turned those challenges into a meaningful, complete life full of happiness and joy.
What also shines through is Emma's unwavering joyful personality, a blessing that she can't fully know the extent of her condition, but with a full spirit that touches everyone she comes in contact with.
Diana has also made it her life's work to help similar families find the financial and educational support they need. I was truly deeply touched by the story and the family's perseverance.
Diana and Tolya made a heart wrenching decision to put Emma up for adoption and found an Orthodox Jewish family with 3 adopted children with down syndrome that was eager to take Emma in. However, after not even a full year, there's a turn of events where Diana and Tolya find the circumstances under which they gave Emma up for adoption were not fully transparent and they use that to adopt Emma back.
This is a hard read in so many ways. There were so many hard choices that D+T had to make and unless you have been in their place, I don't think any of us can really know how we would have reacted. The stigmatization that Diana must have felt is something that all mothers, all parents, who go through this must feel through no fault of their own and yet are conditioned to believe that because the baby is not "normal" this reflects back personally on them as something they've done wrong, for which they should be ashamed.
What is very evident is that Diana rose to meet that and many more challenges and turned those challenges into a meaningful, complete life full of happiness and joy.
What also shines through is Emma's unwavering joyful personality, a blessing that she can't fully know the extent of her condition, but with a full spirit that touches everyone she comes in contact with.
Diana has also made it her life's work to help similar families find the financial and educational support they need. I was truly deeply touched by the story and the family's perseverance.
January 2, 2022
"Emma's Laugh" is a beautiful memoir of embracing the unexpected and allowing it to transform doubt and fear into strength and deep abiding love. Diana Kupershmit has written an honest testimony of the journey she began when she gave birth to her first child, Emma, who was born with a rare gene mutation previously unknown by the medical world. This is not what any parent expects when heading into labor and delivery. The author delicately balances between wanting a normal household and family, and being adaptable, and adjusting her expectations. In fact, parenting Emma pushes the family to create their own normal and to experience Emma's non-verbal presence as an example of emotional resilience and creative intelligence.
Kupershmit's writing is beautiful and honest. She deftly balances self-reflection with self-awareness— growing and self-actualizing a mother’s love into a beautiful life full of devotion and all the sacrifice that comes with such a commitment. "Emma’s Laugh" contains so much wisdom and poignant connections, but most importantly it highlights the redemptive opportunity of a second chance for Kupershmit's family to accept and love Emma's truly remarkable soul. Highly recommend, with tissues.
Kupershmit's writing is beautiful and honest. She deftly balances self-reflection with self-awareness— growing and self-actualizing a mother’s love into a beautiful life full of devotion and all the sacrifice that comes with such a commitment. "Emma’s Laugh" contains so much wisdom and poignant connections, but most importantly it highlights the redemptive opportunity of a second chance for Kupershmit's family to accept and love Emma's truly remarkable soul. Highly recommend, with tissues.
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