Alex: The Life of a Child
Alex: The Life of a Child is a biography and film about the life and death of Alexandra Deford from cystic fibrosis. After her death in 1980 at the age of eight, her father, Frank Deford, a sportswriter, was inspired to write a memoir about Alex three years later. The book depicts Alex's determination to make the best of her circumstances and brings awareness to the disease that took her life. The book was adapted into a 1986 film by ABC starring Craig T. Nelson as Frank Deford, Bonnie Bedelia as Carol Deford, and Gennie James as Alex Deford. Production Frank Deford pieced together a collection of his own memories and that of his wife, Carol, as well as interactions from Alex's classmates, nurses, and hospital volunteers. The story of her life is mostly written in chronological order with certain recollections from her final years weaved in between. The final pages are an epilogue describing the Deford family's experiences after her passing. Synopsis Alexandra Deford was born on October 30, 1971, to Frank and Carol Deford. Upon her birth, no alarms were raised and the Defords believed they were bringing home a healthy baby. At four months, Alex began to