Gifted

JT Stone is a national standout, the number one recruited high-school basketball Phenom from the inner city of St. Louis, Missouri. His plans for college ball, followed by the NBA, are in direct conflict with his Mother, Loretta Stone’s schemes. She’s a widowed, single mother of two boys with immediate aspirations of her small family rising out of her perceived poverty on the wings of JT’s great athletic ability. Their conflict will be ultimately resolved by a power that neither of them can anticipate or comprehend – fate. Kevin Mills, a man pressed to choose between his marriage or the healthcare career he loves, is no more than a familiar acquaintance to Loretta. But, he becomes a trusted friend when their lives meaningfully intersect. He must be the bridge between the gap of Loretta’s dreams of NBA greatness and the reality with which she is forced to accept. GIFTED begs you to answer the question: If given the opportunity to save the lives of eight total strangers, would you? Could you? GIFTED is the debut novel from Robert Horsey. It is a story that has been brewing in his head for many years; inspired by Robert's time spent working at Mid-America Transplant Services in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a fictional story based, loosely, on his experiences there as an Organ Procurement Coordinator. During this time in Robert's career, he was afforded the extreme honor of working with donor families as they navigated the waters of grief and the unexpected loss of their loved one. He was allowed into their lives during what would seem to be their most devastating and vulnerable moments. The compassion that they were able to muster is the reason for this story. It was written as a tribute to each of them and the thousands of donor families around the country that provide the gift of life through the selfless act of organ and tissue donation.