In Love is Stronger than Pain, author Michael J. O'Brien, Irene's son, offers a true account of a wife and mother whose faith and perseverance were heroic. She raised eight children, two of whom were invalids born with a rare skin disease needing her constant care. She coped with the tragic accidental death of her twenty year old son, the death of her beloved husband, a fire in the family home, and the death of her parents, all within a few years.

Love is Stronger than Pain follows Irene's incredible journey as she learned to see the loving hand of God at work in every circumstance of her life. Her faith and endurance were tested beyond limits, yet she persisted in her trust in God.

"It's not very often that a book can reach into your heart and move you. Michael's intimate telling of his mother, Irene's life journey did just that. Through this story, I was reminded that the capacity to love grows through heartache and suffering; that true joy is experienced when we trust God one day at a time. Michael's story is a beautiful tribute to his mother, but greater than that, it's a story of unconditional love."

-Jim Kelly, NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback