Grief and Grit(s)

Marsha Gray Hill's Grief and Grit(s) is an emotional odyssey that illuminates the complexities of grief, while offering a beacon of hope and inspiration for those navigating their own journeys of loss. This extraordinary memoir serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love to transcend even the darkest of times.

In times of unprecedented panic, we see what we’re really made of.

Though the worldwide pandemic affected each of us differently, this time of turmoil brought one thing into stark clarity: the value of human life. When tragedy begets triaging and certain demographics are seen as more disposable than others, what does that say about our society? And what does it say about us?

This is a story about America, about how we view the most vulnerable people in our society—our aging and elderly—both in times of crisis and in our everyday lives.

This is also a story about a mother and daughter, of a mother raising her daughter in love, faith, and confidence, then the bizarre role-reversal as that mother deteriorated to the helplessness of a child. Nothing can prepare you for that intensity of sorrow and joy.

Nothing can prepare you for what happens when the coroner refuses to show up and pronounce your mother legally dead, either.

In this stunning debut, author Marsha Hill invites you into a personal look at an uncomfortable truth: how we treat our elderly today defines our own future. Full of tragedy and triumph, laughter and tears, grief and—yes, some good, old-fashioned grits—Grief and Grit(s) is not only a reflection of the life and tragic death of Adaline Gray, but the power of our generation to fight for human dignity at every stage of life.

Marsha Gray was born and raised in Kinston, North Carolina, before marrying her husband, Gregg, and becoming Mrs. Marsha Hill in 1976. Her adventurous life of raising five children alongside her eldest son’s burgeoning professional tennis career included lots of love and way too many drives down I-95 in a massive Southwind camper.

Fifteen grandchildren later, Marsha is still a southern girl, splitting her time between Georgia and Florida. Her family is her pride and joy, and while caring for her mother throughout the COVID pandemic, she experienced firsthand what it’s like to care for a deteriorating parent. This experience inspired her to become an advocate for compassion and human dignity.