Millions of television viewers remember Geri Jewell as Blair’s cousin Geri on the 1980s sitcom The Facts of Life. Born with cerebral palsy, Jewell made history when she became the first person with a disability to be cast in a recurring role on a TV series. Geri had been discovered by legendary television producer Norman Lear when he saw her performing stand–up in a comedy club, and he cast her in his show, making her a star.

After her big break on The Facts of Life, Geri had a string of other successes in the years that followed, appearing on stage and screen with the likes of George Burns, Patty Duke, Robin Williams, Cliff Robertson, and Sid Caesar, to name a few. But behind closed doors, things were not as happy as they seemed on screen. She was let go from The Facts of Life and her manager embezzled all of the money she’d made on the show. In 1985, she was invited to the White House to perform and was held up to the world as a shining example of success, but inside, she was on the verge of despair. In the 1990s, chronic pain nearly debilitated her completely, and she began rigorous rehabilitation to try to regain her strength, dignity, and spirit.

In 2002 she ran into television writer/producer David Milch. On the spot, he offered her a role in his upcoming series for HBO, Deadwood. Geri accepted, and as the disabled character Jewel, Geri weaved her way into the hearts of television viewers for the second time in her life. She won several awards for her achievements and became a valued spokesperson for living life to its fullest with a disability.

Through this memoir, Geri allows us to see beyond the one–dimensional hero image, and gives us a true glimpse of her very real pain, unstoppable perseverance, and ultimately unquestionable faith in the human spirit.

This book includes a foreword by Patty Duke.