St. Martin author Felecita Williams returned here last weekend from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she presented her autobiography Because of Prayer to the Hospital Universitario de Adultos.
"What a marvelous blessing it was to be back ‘live and well’ at the hospital where I laid as a child in 1978!" said Williams on Sunday to her publisher, HNP.
Williams was received last Wednesday at the busy medical center by Lcdo. Jorge Matta González, MHSA, executive director and Kermith J. Silva Hernandez, MS, head of the Medical Records Department.
Because of Prayer tells of the author’s near-death experiences from kidney failure as a child. The book also tracks her treatment at St. Rose Hospital, and at hospitals in Curacao, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands in the 1970s and 1980s.
In San Juan last week, Silva gave Williams a brief tour of the hospital facilities where children are also cared for. "Nothing was familiar to me of course," said Williams, "but on the other hand, Mr. Matta absolutely enjoyed the fact that a previous patient came after such a long time to visit."
"I commend Mr. Silva dearly for his assistance and patience during my research, and for eventually finding my old file," said Williams. During the writing of the book, which was published in 2010, Williams was pressed by her editors to recall and research factual data about her stay and treatment in the various hospitals.
"I would also like to thank the SZV, formerly SVB, and Insel Air where I won the raffle ticket that came in handy for me to travel to Puerto Rico and have this wonderful project come to pass. God is so Awesome!" said Williams.
"For a first time author, Felecita is doing an amazing job promoting her book and encouraging children and the elderly on her visits to schools, churches, conferences, and hospitals to write their stories and to try and get published," said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).