The Mother's Story: A Tale of Hardship and Maternal Love

It was pure enjoyment to read this book written by the Mother of a man I greatly admire. I have been acquainted with her son, Daniel, since December 2002. That was when I first saw him on PBS and discovered an entertainer I could love not only for his exceptional easy-listening singing voice, choice of songs, and stage presence; but because he was down-to-earth, honest, humble, and always spoke of his Mother in a respectful, loving, and admiring way. I have met him several times in Branson and have received replies to the many letters I have written him and even received a phone call after writing my first fan letter. Not many famous entertainers take time to respond to their fans and meet hundreds of them in the lobby for pictures after giving them nearly three hours on stage. His Mother's story proved to me why 'behind every good man is a good woman'! Not perfect of course, no mother is; but after becoming a heartbroken widow, she put her distress aside and supported, loved, and inspired her five young children to be their best with the talents God gave them. Her story is one of the most inspiring I have ever read, and I highly recommend it. I am not only a fan of Daniel's for life, but of Julia O'Donnell as well. May God continue to bless her and her wonderful family.

I am amazed at this woman, Julia O' Donnell. She has shown some unbelievable strength. I enjoyed her sense of adventure and her tenacious character. I have passed this book on to three other people at this time and all of them thoroughly enjoyed it. Our younger generation could never go through any of this hard work and keep up the spirit that Mrs. O'Donnell did. She has raised a great family and I have bought almost all of Daniel's DVD and CD's. His music inspires me as much as his mother's book did. I only wish I could meet this woman and her son. They both are a role model of humility for me. All the best to both of them and thank you for being part of my life through your story and music. Fran Johnston [email protected]