Hank and the Snowman - Paperback

by Jim Siders (Author)

The Snowman: rising from the lowest ranks of drug dealing, Faustino Carbona builds his cartel with unimaginable violence. Hank: unable to walk or talk continuously deals with the consequences of poverty and disability. Hank and The Snowman: share a common past with an unexpected reunion that will keep you guessing to the very end of their story.

Hank enters the world through an emergency birth on the side of a mountain in Columbia, South America. Birth complications can be hazardous in a hospital - they can be life threatening in the wilderness. This story is uniquely written through the thoughts of Hank made available to the reader in order to share "the rest of the story." As a result of his cerebral palsy, Hank is unable to walk or talk, but the narrative allows him to connect with his perspective from one encounter to another.

Carlos, Hank's father sizes up the situation pretty quickly when extended medical care and hospital stays push his debt beyond resources. Faced with limited options and meager wages, the decision is made to enter into the more lucrative business of illegal drug dealing. Despite his efforts to stay at the bottom of the distribution chain, Carlos finds himself indebted to Faustino Carbona, The Snowman, with no way out of his life of crime.

The Snowman has a history of violent enforcement of anyone attempting to escape his world of crime. After making a spectacle of Carlos' family with a gruesome murder of everyone but Hank, local law enforcement and the community in general determine that Faustino has gone too far. The Snowman activates his untraceable escape plan to leave Columbia and enter the United States to continue his drug trade. Faustino reinvents himself in order to rejuvenate his drug network without being detected. One small mistake unravels The Snowman's intricate escape route if the right authority decides to recreate his trail. Unaware of any flaws in his plans, Faustino accepts a series of jobs to help further his new identity and full integration into the community he chooses to reside in.

Back in Columbia, Seth and Lorraine, missionaries from the United States, take Hank in when realizing the impossible circumstance of this orphan. Hank and the missionary parents bond as a family in the last two years of their assignment from the church. A few secrets unfold for Hank before their relocation to the U.S. Life in the United States is radically different for Hank as he thrives with new opportunities. He is also befriended by some outstanding faculty from the nearby university who begin to unfold some of the barriers to Hank's communication. These faculty members help Lorraine and Seth to better meet Hank's needs in addition to their advocacy of Hank in a number of different capacities. As promising as Hank's life has become, it is not without some additional unexpected tragedies.

Hank meets new friends with disabilities in a community recreation program. His new acquaintances form a friendship that will be tested like no other alliance. Unknown to Hank, his past is about to pose another startling revelation. Will Hank find a way to tackle his greatest life challenge? Will the Snowman be able to build his network without revealing his former identity? The twists and turns are magnified by the unique limitations Hank has to contend with every hour of every day. You just might begin to question your own ability when you realize how accomplished Hank has become despite the obstacles thrown in his path.