Quinn O'Connell led a remarkable life, yet she lacked celebrity or notoriety. Born in 1939, she was part of a generation that exemplified a tenacity of spirit and grit that contrasts sharply with today’s culture. By the time she was thirteen years old, she experienced on-going sexual abuse, a drastic consequence of that abuse, and a sacrifice nearly too great to endure. Quinn was an imperfect person who struggled every day to find her place in the world as life knocked, nicked, and bruised her, but through it all she persevered and prevailed. Her story is not a real-life fairy tale, and while it is brutal and sad, it is also beautiful. It’s a story that exemplifies the value of perseverance and the power of choice.