Born with a heart defect and facing an early battle with sickness that nearly cost him his life, Eric Ramsey was deprived of cognitive abilities and struggled in silence for many years-but he persevered, using any means possible to communicate. As the years passed, Eric became an inspiration to a generation of peers, filling his diary with unique experiences and joy. Beside Me! chronicles Eric's life through the storytelling of his father. Beside Me tackles the subjects of everyday life as a family and Eric's struggle to conform. Readers will be privy to an intimate view into the family's choices as well as Eric's intangible bond with his siblings. "Eric has changed my life, and I hope you will find the stories of Beside Me will change yours" -Michael E. Ramsey