Despite some health complications she endured during infancy, little black-haired, blue-eyed Hannah Weis was a resilient toddler full of smiles and laughter. A mama's girl, her favorite place to be was in her mother's arms. But shortly after turning two years old, Hannah's smiles faded and her laughter quieted. Despite her mother's frantic attempt to hold on to her, the Hannah her family once knew slipped away into a fog of emotional, developmental, and social delays.


In Miles from the Sideline, Maura Weis, wife of Charlie Weis, the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, bravely shares the challenges--as well as the profound joys--of raising their special needs daughter Hannah, who is now twelve years old. A glimpse into their everyday life will both bring tears to your eyes and leave you smiling. Each page is powerful, honest, and emotionally charged as Weis offers her hard-earned insights for the journey to other parents faced with raising a special needs child. Weis also explains why she and her husband were inspired to found Hannah & Friends in order to help other families achieve every parent's dream of happiness for their child and to spread the message of awareness and compassion for people with disabilities. Both absorbing and healing, Miles from the Sideline will speak to anyone whose life has been touched by a child with special needs.