The Unyielding Passion for Life of Lee Raymond Blanchette, a Remarkable Man
Lee Raymond Blanchette had ambitions to be the first above-the-knee amputee to kayak the Mississippi River from its headwaters in Minnesota to its destination in New Orleans. Other things on his Bucket List were to swim with the dolphin, Winter, who has a prosthetic tail, and to work in the Antarctic in honor of Shackleton, Perry and North.
Lee was a talented carpenter and artist, and loved to be outdoors in the winter, shoveling snow for friends and neighbors. He was a volunteer Emergency Medical Service responder (EMS), and took the job very seriously, going out every night to help people, especially those who had over-dosed on drugs. He struggled with residual limb pain and stump deterioration because he would work so hard several days running, and then have to rest up another three. He self-medicated with alcohol to dull the pain, but eventually put himself into a sober house and started a regimen of pain medications.
Lee made friends wherever he went. Even store clerks and his doctors became fast friends with him. Lee’s primary doctor would always set aside about an hour, just to shoot the bull with Lee after treatment. A saying Lee had was: “I may not be able to change the world, but I sure am gonna leave one heck of a dent in it!”
About me
Kathy Haskins (formally Ms. Kathleen Ingfried Haskins) is a first-time author with a deep reverence for life, nature, and the human spirit. Her debut work, The Unyielding Passion for Life originally published under the title The Unyielding Passion for Life of Lee Raymond Blanchette, a Remarkable Man—is a moving and inspirational biography that reflects her heartfelt storytelling and genuine curiosity about what gives life its meaning.
A graduate of Grinnell College with a BA in Studio Arts, Kathy’s education spans a rich blend of disciplines, including Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Writing, Philosophy, Religion, Psychology, and Spanish. While she holds no formal literary awards, she is a lifelong learner who immersed herself in the craft of creative nonfiction by studying influential texts such as Tell It Slant by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.
Her passion for poetry is equally profound. The poets who have inspired her range from Rainer Maria Rilke to Maya Angelou, from Denise Levertov to Langston Hughes, from Mary Oliver to Elizabeth Bishop—and more! Two books that have deeply shaped her poetic journey are The Poet’s Work: 29 Masters of 20th Century Poetry on the Origins and Practice of Their Art edited by Reginald Gibbons, and Creating Poetry by John Drury. Kathy is currently working on a discovery-based educational piece exploring cultural and religious celebrations across the world—enhanced with her own photographs and drawings. A collection of her original poems is also in the works.
Outside of writing, Kathy finds joy and peace in nature. She walks regularly to connect with the earth, finds spiritual meaning in the trees, flowers, and birdsong, and draws inspiration from her multi-spiritual background—rooted in Judaism, the United Church of Christ, the Baha’i Faith, and participation in Wild Church gatherings. She enjoys reading, cooking, drinking tea, and propagating houseplants in her condo—many of which she gives away each autumn to students and neighbors in her church community.
Kathy is also deeply committed to social justice and human rights. She serves as the treasurer of Group 37, the local chapter of Amnesty International, and takes her role in this worldwide organization very seriously. The biggest “hat” of Amnesty International is fighting for human rights, and Kathy actively supports this mission. Through her advocacy, she writes letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience and lobbies for legislation aimed at protecting immigrants from deportation, ending gun violence and the death penalty, closing Guantanamo Bay, and promoting global peace.
She was interviewed by Ric Bratton in early 2022 about The Unyielding Passion for Life and is now exploring more opportunities in her writing career.
