Diamond Child

A Mother's Memoir

Salifu Sesay was but a toddler when a rebel attacker chose to plunge a machete into his skull. Against all odds, this victim of the Blood Diamond conflict in Sierra Leone, West Africa survived. A few years later, fate continued to intervene and Salifu was placed into the arms of Ann Miller, a woman from Overland Park, Kansas, whose life from that moment on, would never be the same.

This is their mother/son love story. It is also an account of unsinkable determination, a trait which would quickly characterize every aspect of this child’s life, whether overcoming a crippling learning disability, physical athleticism, or being a friend to the underdogs of his world. Based on a true story, this book explores the formative experiences Salifu faced, from the refugee camp to the football field, and all the quiet miracles in between which shaped his path to adulthood, while culminating with the explosive moment in of his premature death.

©2026 Ann Elizabeth Miller (P)2026 Ann Elizabeth Miller