In One of the King’s Men, Estelle Everingham recounts the vibrant, joyful and curiously spiritual life of her youngest son, who, sadly, died in his teens.
If babies come from heaven, then heaven reluctantly sent Cameron Everingham. After 25 hours of labor, doctors declared Cameron dead in the womb. Yet faith and prayers delivered him into this world. As he grew, Cameron’s parents felt “he just didn’t belong on this planet.” His mind was ever fixed on Jesus and heaven. Then tragedy struck the Everinghams when a senseless accident took Cameron, at age 14, from this earth.
Everingham’s writing is concise, witty and lovingly reminiscent, beautifully capturing her tender love for Cameron and the excitement of his life. She shares baby Cameron’s late-night cuddles and boasts of his startling first sentence, “God’s not dead.” Sharply focused, she quickly sums up any side stories; regarding her husband’s debilitating health, for example, she says succinctly that she would teach her children “about Heaven, because we lived in Hell.”
Although sorrow could reign on every page, Everingham spends time cherishing Cameron’s athletic achievements and eccentricities. She shies away from explanations of how Cameron communicated with his guardian angel, how Jesus’ light shined in his bedroom at night, and how, just one week before dying, Cameron knew to plan his funeral and arrange to be baptized; the author lets readers draw their own conclusions about such mysteries.
From a literary viewpoint, Everingham’s book isn’t perfect. Her consistent use of the “&” sign and a few typos are distracting. And some may be disappointed by Everingham’s lack of biblical interpretation of Cameron’s spiritual interactions; she presents her son’s story without theological explanation or scriptural support. But the engrossing story outshines any flaws.
Cameron’s unique connection to the supernatural demands we take a closer look at the reality of the afterlife. His uncommon story should intrigue any audience—and perhaps inspire readers to further study our connection to the spiritual realm.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
