MONA FLEUR WINBERG was born in Toronto on January 27, 1932 with severe cerebral palsy. Supported by her mother's tough love, Mona grew up, learned to communicate, got an education, joined the workforce, enjoyed the dignity of ''independent living'' with support from family and service providers, and became a resilient public advocate for people with disabilities. She died on January 19, 2009. J. PATRICK BOYER was born in Bracebridge, Ontario on March 4, 1945 and since then has been a printer, journalist, lawyer, parliamentarian, television host, and university teacher. He is author of some twenty books of biography, law, politics and history, holds a number of university degrees, and has worked as a journalist in Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.