Chip’s Gramma Dorothy, 88, proudly says “Chip was a real darling! Of my six kids and grandkids Chip was the first to play the piano like I do.” Grandma proudly compares Chip’s piano playing to
“The hard part is making sure people aren’t afraid to touch and read the book because it is about AIDS. It will help people to pick it up and read it. She was brave enough
“Kitty Caley’s story on her son was the most profound topic I covered as a journalist. It was very emotional.”
Our compliments on a fantastic book that touched both my daughters and me in many ways. You put a lot of perspective on both parent and child. So much love within the family structure. Both
Kitty, Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. Although I had my own experience with those dark days, reading your story made me realize in a new way how dreadful those times
Kitty, I read your book last night. I couldn’t put it down. What a sad but lovely story of the love between you and your precious son. It sounds like he was a very strong
On the undertaking of reading “Ultimate Love” by Kitty Caley, this would not have been my next choice of books to read except for the fact that I know her personally and I was interested
CHIP’S SEARCH FOR LOVE is a compelling and stirring book. My capsule critique: A searing book. With verbal strokes we get to really know Chip as his mother paints the canvas of his life. The love she (you) shared with Chip is like an ancient melody and how much I admire you for your perseverance, strength, rallying and patience. This gently traced book gets us the readers involved.
Tears were streaming down my cheeks when I got to the section where you heard him say, “Mother, God wants my hand.” It’s a moving story, a history of love, compassion, and grief and it touched my heart. What can I say about a book like this? It stopped me in my tracks. I guess all I can do is thank you for letting me have the opportunity to read it.
Sincerely, Gwen Costa
I have had the pleasure of knowing Kitty Caley. I was eager and delighted to get to know her better and more deeply by reading about her experiences as both she and her son struggle through his illness with AIDS in her book, Ultimate Love: A Life of Soul and Searching.
The book reads as if Kitty is telling you the story herself of the short 27 years she enjoyed her son – clearly her voice and personality throughout. Kitty is a kind and generous soul and her relationship and experiences with her son drew upon and undoubtedly developed these characteristics. It was a privilege to witness, through reading Kitty’s novel, the unconditional love of a devoted mother under extreme circumstances.
I had the privilege of reading Kitty’s book shortly after getting to know her. I was impressed with the tenderness, which she spoke of her son and their relationship from his birth thru his passing. I was also impressed with the unquestioning, unconditional love that saved the both of them and got them through so many hardships and disappointments bringing them closer together. I think Kitty and her story stand as a wonderful example to all of us as we face our own trials; no matter the circumstances, to follow in the footsteps of the Ultimate Example and to show genuine love towards those we care about the most.
Flora Purvis performs a place entitled Mama’s Boy in which she tells of what it was like to have her son die of AIDS. At the break between shows, I am introduced to a woman who is the real Mama; she lost her son to AIDS in February and drove in from the mid-cities by herself to see this show. Her memories of him return so strongly that she breaks down and cries. We all comfort her. She gains her composure, tells us she is writing a book about her son, smiles and walks out into the night. As I watch the door close behind her, it was my turn to cry.
