Heartstrong

Donna Valentino's world turned upside down on Feb. 7 2009 when she was involved in a catastrophic ATV accident that nearly took her life and altered it forever. At the time of her accident Donna was a vivacious and obsessive tennis player the proud mother of two teenagers and struggling through a tough divorce. When she awakened from a coma in the ICU she found herself face to face with new beginnings of all kinds some of which she wouldn't have chosen but all of which she ultimately embraced. In exploring how her accident changed her life and miraculously opened her heart Donna reveals how because of rather than in spite of her accident she built a new and unexpectedly better life. Her goal throughout Heartstrong: Overcome Obstacles and Live Life to the Fullest is to encourage and empower others who find themselves in difficult circumstances to look at the possibilities each challenge presents as an opportunity to discover what path to take in next chapter of their lives.   Donna Valentino was born and raised in Queens New York. After graduating from high school in 1979 she worked full time at various companies. She married in 1987 and had two children Nikki and Jordan. She coached her son's soccer team managed both kids' basketball teams and stayed active in the PTA. With both children in high school she went back to work as a director of human resources. She also played tennis on a team with good friends for seventeen years. On February 7 2009 while in the midst of a difficult divorce Donna sustained a traumatic brain injury in an ATV accident. Enjoying time with her children was put on hold and the physical activities she had once treasured became impossible. She shared the story of her accident and physical recovery in her debut book Headstrong: Surviving a Traumatic Brain Injury without Losing My Mind. Donna lives in Dallas Texas.