Toby, the Turtle Who Could Sing

 

Written by Emily Harrison’s sister, Belinda Jockisch

“Emily Carole Harrison faced personal tragedy at the age of twelve when she became totally incapacitated after a devastating brain injury.    The next twelve years of her life were spent recovering abilities and gaining independence that the average individual takes for granted.  She handled the disappointments of being disabled with grace and utilized any regained abilities with a thankful spirit. 

            One of those regained abilities was her creativity.  In 1998, nine years following her brain injury, Emily began tutoring sessions with an English teacher.  She loved writing, even before her accident, and had always been interested in writing children’s books.  With the help of her tutor, her dream came true. 

The ideas for the characters and plot of Toby, the Turtle Who Could Sing, were all Emily’s.  She named the main character, Toby, after her miniature Dachshund.   Her tutor helped her get her ideas on paper and corrected grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.

            After her manuscript was completed, it was time to work on the illustrations.  Bruce Andrews is a talented artist and was a dear friend to Emily and her family.  With Bruce’s help and artistic ability, Toby and his friends came to life through his illustrations, some of which are on display today. 

            God granted Emily total healing from her disabilities on September 29, 2001, when she left this earth due to another tragic accident.  Though Emily is no longer with us physically, her influence and inspiration continue even today.  Her full story is documented in the book My Sister, Emily, a memoir written by her sister, Belinda Harrison Jockisch. 

            If Emily were still alive today, she would be the proud aunt of Emily Grace Jockisch and Avery James Jockisch.  Emily’s legacy continues through her family and all who loved her. “