Overflow seating will be available in O’Shaughnessy Educational Center classrooms for an event Wednesday, March 25, to celebrate the publication of a book about former St. Thomas Dean Bruce Kramer’s battle with ALS.
All free tickets for the 7 p.m. event in OEC auditorium have been distributed, but Rooms 203, 206, 207, 210 and 212 will be open for people to watch and listen.
Minnesota Public Radio News host Kerri Miller will lead the conversation between Kramer and MPR’s Cathy Wurzer, authors of We Know How This Ends: Living while Dying. They will discuss the making of the book, their work together and the life lessons found in living fully through loss.
In addition, the St. Thomas Chamber Singers and Jearlyn Steele, a well-known Twin Cities singer, will perform during the event.
Books will be available for purchase, and a book-signing reception will follow in OEC foyer. Doors to the auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m. for those who reserved tickets.
Kramer was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in December 2010, and he later took a leave of absence as dean of the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling at St. Thomas. He had taught or served as an administrator at St. Thomas since 1996.
Published by the University of Minnesota Press, We Know How This Ends tells of discoveries by Kramer and Wurzer as they documented his struggle with ALS. Wurzer, host of Morning Edition on MPR and Almanac on Twin Cities Public Television, has broadcast 35 reports on Kramer’s efforts to deal with ALS. She since has lost her father to a debilitating battle with dementia.
The book publication event is sponsored by MPR News, St. Thomas, the University of Minnesota Press, HealthPartners and the ALS Association of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
