Tom Laresca lives in New York with his wife and three children. Currently working as a foreign stock trader, he attended college at St. John’s University. Laresca enjoys playing sports and weightlifting.
I Want to Help: My Story About Cancer, Depression and God is his first book.
You can visit his website at http://iwanttohelp1225.com.
Welcome to Between the Covers, Thomas. Why was writing I Want to Help so important to you?
Writing this book was extremely important to me for two reasons, first I believe I can help others because of what I went through with cancer and depression. I believe what I did to get through my trails and tribulations can be used to get others through any difficulties they are facing. Secondly I tell about a night I was in intensive care fighting for my life and how that night I experienced death. It is a very bizarre event, which came at the hands of the police right in front of my own home. I have 3500 dollars worth of bills from that night and I took a lie detector test to help prove what I say is true. I also tell how it was God who helped me get through it all and is right they’re waiting to help you.
What was the experience like writing I Want to Help? Was it healing for you?
Writing I Want to Help was very satisfying to me knowing it would one day help others. It was also a bit unsettling because it is tough to bring up that night with the police due the reminder of the pain and torture I suffered.
What came first – the title or the story?
The story came first when I started writing I didn’t know where I was going with it. At first I sat down to just write about the cancer about depression then I realized the part about the police had to come out I needed closure.
To your knowledge, has your book helped anyone in particular?
Yes in fact I do know my book has helped others. Parents have told me they have given it to their children whom they suspected were depressed and unwilling to talk about it. It has helped them open a line of communication and let them know they don’t have to go through things alone. Also I have had others come to me after reading it and tell me they have suffered from anxiety or other types of illnesses. There is unfortunately shame that comes with these disorders and like I did they suffer alone.
When you first was diagnosed with cancer and given 3 months to live, what thoughts were running through your head?
My first feeling was one of being crushed all that I had hoped to do in my life at age 37 seemed to be gone. I felt hopeless and afraid to dye but that lasted only a short time I then knew this was not the attitude that would help me to survive. I then turned to God for strength I began to read the Bible more and pray more. That gave me great peace I still wasn’t sure if I would live but I felt I was in Gods hands and all would be okay.
Can you give us a short excerpt?
“Three months” He said it as though he were reading the weather. It was again another numb moment, but brief. I defiantly said, no not gonna happen. I wonder was he thinking okay but don’t make any long-term plans? However I already did. My plan was I was going to be okay. Ill show you. Ill show everyone. I had to; failure was not an option, or at least not a good one.
Now that I Want to Help has been published, what’s your next project?
I really don’t know what lies ahead or what is my next project. I will continue to try to follow the Lord one step at a time knowing where he leads me will be best.
Thanks, Thomas, for this wonderful interview. Do you have anything you’d like to tell our readers that haven’t been discussed?
Yes I would like to say I hope this book helps you and also to help prove what I said about the police is true I will be offering proceeds from my book to SergeantKlaus if he will take and pass a lie detector test about the night I was dead. This way when I prove what I say is true people will know I know what death was like and then they will also believe I know what God is like. Thank you
Between the Covers 