As Mindy Drayer reflected on the life of her 90-year-old mother, Carm Drayer, she was driven to write a book that served as a public and worthy tribute to the person who raised her and her three siblings.

At the start, Drayer, a former WCMH-TV (Channel 4) news anchor, chronicled her mother's triumphs, devastating losses and continued fight against sarcoma cancer. (Drayer's father passed away 10 years ago.)

But as she filtered through the loving memories shared with her m