Excerpt from Mother Warriors

By Jenny McCarthy
I looked up and saw Oprah staring at me. "Go ahead, Jenny. You wanted to say something. You get the last word."

I looked out at the cameras and all the eager moms in the audience and realized it was the last segment. This was it. I said, "Don't feel guilty for your child's autism. It's not your fault. Stay focused on recovery and trust your instincts."

Oprah smiled and said, "And ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL!"

I wanted to leap over that chair and give her a big fat kiss, but I knew I'd probably never be asked to come back to the show, so I simply replied, "Yes, one size does not fit all."

The stagehand shouted, "We're out." The camera lights went dark and everyone started to get up.

I walked over to Oprah and said, "Thank you on behalf of thousands of moms for allowing me to speak our truth." She gave me a hug that was filled with love, warmth, and gratitude. I didn't have to tell her how profound this show was. She felt it. I walked back to my dressing room relieved and said a little prayer that my intention to offer hope, faith, and recovery for these families was successful.

 

Excerpt from Mother Warriors by Jenny McCarthy © 2008.
Published with permission from Dutton, A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. All Rights Reserved.