{"product_id":"the-boys-of-ewald-park-jim-mcgrath","title":"The Boys of Ewald Park: Jim McGrath","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Do we know how to contact Father Mike?\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs soon as the chilling question was asked by the elder Jim McGrath, the rest of the family\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003estopped in shock. There was no longer any question - Jimmy, their son, brother and husband\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewith the shared name, was in the fight of his life, and not winning. On the advice of an\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eemergency room doctor, the arrangement for last rites was initiated with a single question.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat happened afterwards defied logic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Boys of Ewald Park, written by McGrath, details his medical journey, which led to a\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eflashback of relationships with friends, notably the Hopewell brothers, Fred and Jimmy, and their\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshared experiences growing up in the streets and at Ewald Park in Alexandria, VA. It also\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003etouches on personal health struggles, including a cancer scare in 2017 and the severe medical\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eemergency in 2023 that resulted in a coma and three-month hospital stay.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring this coma, McGrath experienced vivid hallucinations and flashbacks to his past, and\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003edelves into McGrath's childhood in Alexandria, focusing on his memories of growing up in a\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ediverse neighborhood and the dynamics between different communities, particularly the \"Shirley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuke\" area, Duke Street corridor, and his neighborhood near Ewald Park, affectionately known\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eas \"The Block.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"LadyQInspires2","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50572190482655,"sku":null,"price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1041\/6095\/files\/IMG_4186.jpg?v=1784142363","url":"https:\/\/ladyqinspires2.myshopify.com\/products\/the-boys-of-ewald-park-jim-mcgrath","provider":"LadyQInspires2","version":"1.0","type":"link"}