Totally Booked with Zibby Kelly Cervantes, THE LUCKIEST: A Memoir of Love, Loss, Motherhood, and the Pursuit of Self
Nov 27, 2025
Kelly Cervantes, a bestselling author and advocate, shares her heartfelt journey in navigating life as the mother of her medically complex daughter, Adelaide. She discusses the profound grief following Adelaide's passing and her transition from a career in acting to full-time caregiving. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of friendships, the challenges of maintaining a marriage under crisis, and the process of reclaiming her identity through advocacy and writing. Cervantes's insights into motherhood and loss are both poignant and empowering.
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Life As Nested Layers
- Kelly structures her memoir as nested layers of past selves to show how each life iteration shapes the next.
- She realized multiple careers and roles cumulatively built her present identity and purpose.
Career Pivot For Family Security
- Kelly left acting for a restaurant sales job to secure health insurance and start a family with Miguel.
- The week their daughter Adelaide had seizures, Miguel got cast in Hamilton and Kelly became the family's primary caregiver overnight.
Caregiving Became A Career
- Caregiving became a fulfilling career Kelly hadn't anticipated, tying together her past skills in advocacy and performance.
- Adelaide's passing forced another transition into public advocacy, writing, and speaking that integrated her prior lives.
