TOMS RIVER – A local best-selling author has masterfully adapted her gift of storytelling – using it to comfort herself as a child and now using it to inspire others.
Now 52, Suzanne Le Voie battled childhood asthma, spending hours in isolation within an oxygen tent. The experience, though challenging, sparked a lifelong love for writing that would fuel her success and future impact.
“I couldn’t even watch television because they were afraid the sparks from the electricity would do something to the tents,” said Le Voie. “So, I had to learn to be okay with being alone and would make up little stories about my favorite characters on different shows.”
Not many other children suffered as badly from asthma as Le Voie did, which made her feel left out and bullied. Her writing acted as a form of therapy – allowing her to create a world where she wasn’t defined by her illness or the taunts of others.
Despite the adversities Le Voie faced as a child, she persevered and ventured onto a path to help others. She taught special education classes and earned an MSW (Master of Social Work) from Monmouth University.
Whether working in the classroom or helping families in crisis, Le Voie focused on positive change. Her life took a turn for the worse when she was doing a program with the Red Cross and taking a coworker home after their shift.
On October 2, 2000, an SUV ran a red light and smashed into Le Voie’s vehicle. She blacked out, and when she came to, she thought her friend was dead because she was lying back with glass all over her. Fortunately, they’d both survived the collision.
However, Le Voie suffered traumatic brain injury as a result of the crash, as well as permanent nerve damage. She had flashbacks for years of the tragic occurrence that changed her life.
“I had a near photographic memory prior to the accident,” she said. “And then, it was like I was losing pieces of things.”
What made it even harder was life at home. Le Voie had married in 1997 and separated from her husband within three years after the accident. Le Voie’s father died just a few years later, and her marriage finally ended in a nasty divorce in 2008.
Severe gastrointestinal issues resulted in numerous hospitalizations. The doctors insisted they couldn’t find anything wrong and told her that her problems were likely related to stress or the fact that she needed to lose weight. Her asthma was also causing her issues.
Life was far from easy – essentially unbearable.
“I was dealing with bad depression, anxiety, especially after the accident,” said La Voie. “I was diagnosed with PTSD, and I was feeling suicidal a lot. And there was an attempt at one point in 2002, for which I got help.”
As time passed, Le Voie recreated herself by moving into the hospitality field. She loved travel and tourism and started a blog to ignite the same passion in others.
It took years, but Le Voie also found the roots of her debilitating gastro pain. The doctor who diagnosed her determined Le Voie had a rare disease known as small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO). The problem began to resolve and gave her the strength to consider other opportunities.
The storytelling tools Le Voie learned as a youngster undoubtedly kicked in when Le Voie came across a woman looking for someone to write a chapter on surviving suicide. “Unsung Heroes: Deconstructing Suicide Through Stories Of Triumph” was published in 2016 and contains Le Voie’s tale of survival.
Her debut solo book, “Knight Shift,” the inaugural installment in a series, was released for sale in December 2017. Her face glowed with pride as she described the feeling of opening the package with her “baby” when it first came in the mail. She even had a launch party with 25 friends to celebrate.
Sage Knight, the protagonist in the book, mirrors the author’s own journey through life’s tumultuous twists and turns. As Sage grapples with the upheaval of divorce and career setbacks, she seeks solace and renewal.
A serendipitous opportunity at a local hotel in Lake George offers Sage a chance to rediscover herself amidst familiar surroundings. Through Sage’s journey, Le Voie artfully blends humor and introspection, infusing the narrative with her personal and professional challenges.
“I’ve always had to recreate and reinvent myself many times,” Le Voie shared. “I wanted Sage to have a profession that would fit her and where she could thrive.”
Le Voie subsequently wrote chapters in two other anthologies. Her chapter in “Your Shift Matters: Resistance to Resilience” deals with her battles with childhood asthma. In “What’s Self Love Got to Do with It,” Le Voie begins with her tragic life-changing car accident and her spiritual connection to God.
As a teacher, Le Voie avoided red pens and focused on marking correct answers made by her students. When she realized she was essentially giving herself “Fs,” Le Voie decided to change the dynamic and practice self-love.
She encourages people to resist letting anyone or anything stop them from being what they’re truly meant to do. She says that part of growth is accepting one’s own strengths and focusing solely on them – rather than what others think or feel you should be or do. She calls self-love a choice – to build from there.
“My faith is a huge part of why I am still alive today,” said Le Voie. “I am becoming more and more in tune with who God created me to be and the gifts He has given me rather than what society believes I should be.”
“Writing gives me freedom and a significant purpose,” Le Voie continued. “It provides an outreach that nothing else can.”
All four books that contain Le Voie’s work have earned spots on Amazon’s Best Seller list. And, of course, she’s hoping the same will be true when she puts the finishing touches in the second part of her solo series – “Falling into the Knight.”
Le Voie can be reached by email at Suzanne_sammon@hotmail.com and by telephone at 732-278-6743.
