"This could not be done," was said by all. "Grandmother has no more money, or a home and she's all alone. These twin girls, just four years old; should go down the road to the orphanage. They are no one's responsibility."
Grandmother's response was for all to hear, "With faith in God, we will show for all to see that I can do this " And she did.
The journey of the McGuire Twins is provided in this remarkable account of survival between two determined young girls and their elderly Grandmother. When the twins were only four years old, their mother was quarantined and died in a tuberculosis sanitarium in upper Michigan. With an absentee father, no older siblings and few relatives with the ability to assist, the girls were forced to learn to survive at a very early age, while coming of age during the 1940s and 1950s in midwestern United States.
With the assistance of the twin's close friend Mary Yarbrough as co-author, the book is dedicated to life and memory of Carol's twin sister Kay McGuire (Nelson) who passed away in 2009 at age 70. Tributes are provided that describe Kay's remarkable life and contributions as a mother, nurse, teacher, therapist, grandmother, aunt and (most importantly) as an identical twin. There's little doubt that the challenges that Kay confronted and overcame in her early years, helped shape her into the incredible adult and spiritual leader that she became.
Carol Ann (McGuire) Nuckolls is an author, painter, golfer, traveler, business owner, mother, grandmother and artist. Carol is also a twin and a survivor. Carol and her twin sister Kay were raised by their Grandmother. From a very young age, they were taught to be independent and to be their own person. They learned to survive and thrive and were taught never feel self-pity; they had their youth, health, and the gift of being identical twins. They had each other. They were taught acceptance and above all, an enduring faith in God. When Carol speaks of her as a sister she says "we"; because that is the way that it was. Being a twin their thoughts were the same as being one, even calling each other at the same time. Most times they would unwittingly purchase the same clothes or the same gifts; not knowing this until they talked with each other.