Mortimer author, Mike Gomm and his family’s lives were turned upside down a decade ago when his wife, Helen, suffered a massive brain haemorrhage. After 8 hours laying unconscious, she was found by her two young teenage sons, when they returned from school. What followed was a very long road to Helen’s recovery, with many visits to hospitals whilst trying to hold the family together.

 

As Mike found himself spending an increasing amount of time relaying updates to concerned friends and family, email soon became the most efficient way to communicate with the ever-growing number of interested parties. As a devout Christian, Mike had many friends in the community and at Three Mile Cross Church where he is a member of the congregation. Incredibly, as the news of Helen’s condition spread across the globe, the list steadily grew to over 1,000; with subscribers from Africa, New Zealand and beyond, praying for the family and waiting to receive Mike’s daily messages.

 

Whilst it took several years, and much encouragement from friends, this year finally saw Mike turn his emails chronicling Helen’s journey to recovery, into a book. ‘The Day that Time Stood Still’ has been well-received, with reviews bursting with praise. We’ve been told it’s a real page-turner, with some having completed it in an evening — “I couldn’t put it down” said Jules Col.

 

Headway Thames Valley, who offered great support to the family, will also receive some of the proceeds from the book. If you would like to read more about the Gomm family’s story and Helen’s road to recovery, you can find the book on Amazon now.