Former lawmaker chronicles COVID hospitalization in new book
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Photo courtesy of Lorenzo Sierra
Former Arizona lawmaker Lorenzo Sierra recounts his battles with illness, love and politics in a new memoir out this month.
Why it matters: The memoir, "Fight Like Hell: Love, Politics and the Will to Live," explores the overlap between deeply personal struggles and broader political debates.
Catch up quick: Sierra, an Avondale Democrat, was serving in the Arizona House in October 2020 when he was hospitalized for complications from COVID-19 in Washington, D.C.
- He was transferred to Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he spent several days on a ventilator.
What he's saying: "Writing this book was a form of therapy, a way to sort of manage and deal with everything that we've gone through," Sierra told Axios. "We had a story to tell and just wanted to tell it."
Between the lines: The book goes beyond Sierra and wife Rhonda Cagle's health battles — he also reflects on politics, the flaws in the health care system, and what issues he believes politicians should address with Latino voters.
- "It's about the core issues that every human being addresses in their lives" like health care, financial insecurity," Cagle told Axios.
- "It shows how everyday people can play a role in what's important in fighting for our communities, fighting for our health and fighting for each other," she said.
- Sierra called the book "a love story primarily that just happens to have a little politics in there."
The intrigue: "Fight Like Hell" comes out Oct. 14, a date that Sierra said has a special significance for him and Cagle.
- It's the same date when Cagle had her final breast cancer treatment in 2016 and when Sierra came home from the ICU in 2020.
What's next: Sierra will hold a book launch on Oct. 16 at Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix.