Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Gray.
Hi Abby, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our story didn’t unfold in a straight line. A few months after my husband, Reid, and I got married, he was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and ulcerative colitis. We quickly went from newlyweds dreaming about the future to navigating lab results, procedures, and the possibility of a liver transplant for my husband.
At the same time, we were walking through another kind of waiting: infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. Two journeys running side by side, both uncertain and both exhausting. In January 2017, I turned to writing as a form of therapy and started a blog to process everything we were facing. What began as an outlet for grief and fear soon became a space for connection. Through writing, and through the support of family and friends, I found a network of encouragement that helped us keep going when everything felt too heavy.
In 2019, five years into our marriage, Reid received his life-saving liver transplant at Houston Methodist Hospital while I was 21 weeks pregnant with our twins, our last two embryos from our third round of IVF. Three months later, we welcomed our twins, Oliver and Kaylee. It was a moment that made every challenge, every setback, and every unanswered question worth it.
That season reshaped everything. It inspired me to write Impatiently Waiting for Miracles, a book that shares our family’s story with honesty and hope, and Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark, a children’s book about our donor hero and the ultimate act of kindness. Through this journey, I am now honored to serve as Board Chair for Children’s Transplant Initiative, which provides housing, financial, and emotional support to families of pediatric transplant patients.
Today, my work centers on advocacy for organ donation, infertility awareness, and mental health, three causes forever intertwined in our story. I share our journey because I believe stories have the power to heal, to connect, and to remind others that even in the hardest seasons, miracles are still possible.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I don’t think anyone’s story of healing or hope ever is. Ours has been shaped by both heartbreak and grace.
There were years when everything felt uncertain. We were waiting for lab results, procedures, and the call that a donor liver was available, while also facing infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. It often felt like our lives revolved around hospitals and doctor’s offices, all while trying to hold on to some sense of normal life, work, and relationships.
There were moments when the weight of it all was completely overwhelming.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My writing is incredibly raw and real. When I shared our story through Impatiently Waiting for Miracles, I didn’t hold anything back. I wrote about the honest conversations that were happening behind closed doors, the fears that rarely make it into public view, and the emotions that came with every loss and setback along the way.
I believe it’s important to acknowledge the hard and not just focus on the highlight reel. Real healing begins when we tell the truth about the in-between moments – the ones that don’t have easy answers or tidy endings.
What sets my work apart is that I write and speak from both sides of the storm. I know what it’s like to live in the waiting, and I also know what it means to come out the other side and still carry pieces of it with you. I’m most proud that people tell me my words made them feel seen, less alone, or a little more hopeful. That, to me, is the greatest measure of success.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The quality that’s been most important to my success is authenticity. Real connection happens when we’re honest about both the beautiful and the broken parts of our story. Sharing openly, even when it’s uncomfortable, has created space for healing and community in ways I never expected.
Perseverance has been equally important. Our story has been full of waiting and detours, but I’ve learned to keep showing up even when the path isn’t clear. At the core of everything I do – writing, advocacy, and leadership – is the belief that vulnerability and resilience can coexist, and that hope grows strongest in the spaces where we’re willing to be real.
Pricing:
- Impatiently Waiting for Miracles – $18.99
- Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark (soft cover) – $11.99
- Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark (hard cover) – $17.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.abbygraywrites.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbygraywrites
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567217262335
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-mcfarland-gray-2a34539/
