After suffering a massive stroke caused by a previously undiagnosed vascular malformation, Lafiro A. Gomez III became parayzed and utterly dependent on his family for care. He entered rehabilitation and worked on recovering some of his strength but was unable to carry out many basic functions on his own. Facing infections, deteriorating kidney function, and amputations he grew weary and depression shaped his days. Until loved ones encouraged him to begin writing again and he did. Using his thumb and an iPhone he created new worlds with characters that came alive and reminded him that nothing is impossible. Now the author of the novels Parachute Island and The Variants he joins And Then Everything Changed to tell his story, share his writing process, and reflect on what he’s learned about himself through the challenges he’s faced.