I Wrote That! Author Talk: Margaret Anne Mary Moore

The story of Meg Moore and her family is meant to make you ponder how you, too, can reach your wildest ambitions and how your inner strength is one of the greatest factors enabling you to do so.
After a normal pregnancy, Margaret Anne Mary Moore’s parents Anne and Terrence were shocked when a prolapsed umbilical cord left their daughter unable to breathe on her own. Margaret, nicknamed Meg, was not expected to live through the night and yet by some miraculous recovery, she began to breathe on her own the next day. Ultimately, Meg was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, a physical disability that required permanent dependence on others for daily tasks. A speech impediment forced her to rely on a communication device to speak to others. Meg’s disability only added to the already chaotic Moore household. Terrence had been diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer, which later took his life just before Meg’s second birthday. Anne was left to raise their three children (Meg and her older brothers, Sean and Brian) on her own, determined to teach them to persevere through even the toughest of circumstances.

Meg’s memoir, Bold, Brave, and Breathless: Reveling in Childhood’s Splendiferous Glories While Facing Disability and Loss, follows Meg from birth through graduation. Meg narrates her experiences of pursuing a regular education and activities such as Girl Scouts, soccer, ice-skating, and snow tubing despite her physical limitations. She delves into the challenges that often comes with seeking inclusion and acceptance, but she also highlights the joyous — and often hilarious — adventures of her childhood.