Welcome!
Introducing Hilda!
Hilda M. Valentine is a 9/11 survivor who worked in Tower Two on the 100th floor. Her book The Other Side of Nothing chronicles her survival story of that day as well as her long journey towards medical, emotional, social, and spiritual healing. This book has been 18 years in the making and is a transparent glimpse into the reality of a traumatic event. After such an experience, a person can vacillate between anger and sadness, and feelings of isolation while desperately seeking to regain some sense of normalcy. Hilda’s daughter, now a licensed psychologist, wrote the book’s forward to capture how a traumatic event potentially affects the entire family. Hilda believes God laid this book in her spirit to help others who are dealing with various facets of trauma.
Social Media Links:
My website: www.theothersideofnothing.org
Email address: sunnysideofgrace@gmail.com
Twitter: HildaValen83667
Instagram: HildaValentine50
LinkedIn: Hilda Valentine
Interview with Hilda
Tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised on a farm in Ringgold, Virginia. I am the youngest of seven children. My family grew vegetables and tobacco as cash crops. After graduating college, I moved to New York to explore job opportunities. For twenty years I worked in Westchester County, New York for various insurance companies working my way up to a managerial position in the claims department. Wanting to try something different in my career after my daughter graduated high school, I decided to investigate other career opportunities which included interviewing for jobs in Manhattan. After several interviews, I accepted a job with AON in the South Tower of the World Trade Center and started work in August 2001.
Tell us about your books.
I have only written one book and it was inspired by my survival story on 9/11 in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. My book, “The Other Side of Nothing —A Survivor’s Journey Toward Healing,” was written to chronicle my survival that day and the long journey towards physical, spiritual, and mental recovery. I have aimed to be transparent in providing a glimpse as to what it can look and feel like when someone experiences a traumatic event. My hope is that this book will start conversations surrounding mental health as a part of overall health while diminishing mental health stigma as that stigma caused a delay in my admitting that I needed help and seeking treatment.
Tell us about your family.
I currently live in Maryland with my daughter, son-in-law and 2 amazing grandchildren. We love spending time together, especially spending time at the beach in the summer.
What inspired you to write this book?
I feel God has laid writing this book in my spirit to help individuals and their families who are navigating mental health challenges and struggles. This book was 18 years in the making as I struggled with being able to share my story. I felt completely lost after 9/11 and with this book, I’ve aimed to be very transparent in sharing my journey. Prior to 9/11, I did not have any knowledge of or experience with mental health struggles and symptoms so when I started having flashbacks, anxiety, sleep concerns, memory loss, and hypervigilance, I didn’t know what was going on with me; instead of immediately seeking help, I became afraid and withdrawn. I was in a great deal of physical pain, and I convinced myself once the physical pain went away, I would be better. At the time, if I had some idea what mental health struggles looked like, it would have normalized my symptoms and decreased my feelings of embarrassment thinking something was terribly wrong with me. I feel so many people suffer in silence because they feel alone, but Christ did not intend for us to make this lifelong journey alone.
My prayer is that this book will be a tool in starting open and honest dialogue surrounding mental health in our families, our communities and in our churches. I hope this book would help to start conversations surrounding mental health as a part of overall health while diminishing mental health stigma as that stigma can delay care and deter people from being honest themselves.
Are there specific experiences God lead you through to prepare you to write this book?
I feel my entire 9/11 experience was God preparing me to write this book. Every feeling of disconnection, helplessness, and hopelessness as well as every tear, He is using to help someone else and to bring Him glory.
What one thing do you want readers to take away from your book
It’s been a long struggle and it’s hard to narrow it down to one thing; however, I have learned several lessons that I hope readers take away from my experiences:
1-Seek help early even when you are not sure what type of treatment you need.
2-Accept what has happened, learn from it via seeking help, and move forward
3- Learn to let go of the past. When your old life has fallen apart and you can’t put the pieces back together then create a new life with the pieces remaining. God will fill in the gap.
4- There are so many opportunities for support out there. Research every possible support group, new medication and new treatment recognizing that not all treatments will work for everyone. Continue to be an advocate for your treatment and healing.
5-Healing takes time. It’s ok to take the time you need to heal. This is your journey and it likely won’t be a straight path to healing.
6- Identify safe places and spaces. These are grounding tools that help provide a safe space to return to physically or mentally when the stress gets to be overwhelming; for me, gardening and coloring centered me.
What is the toughest test you’ve faced as a writer?
The toughest test I faced as a writer was not being able to tell my story without reliving part of the experience even though 18 years had passed when I initially started writing this book.
Writing the book brought back not only memories but actual flashbacks, smells, kinetic feelings and sounds from that day. My faith that God wanted me to tell my story and be a witness to His glory was my inspiration to finish my assignment.
What accomplishments are you most proud of, writing-related or not?
I am most proud that God allowed me to be able to push through to put my experiences on paper. This book is a book I wished I had after 9/11 to support, educate, and comfort me. I had no understanding of trauma or mental health issues and I didn’t have anyone in my circle that had any mental health experience or was willing to be transparent with me if they were going through anything. When I started experiencing flashbacks, rage episodes, problems concentrating, memory loss and trouble sleeping, I was terrified because I didn’t know what was happening to me. Not knowing made me go to a very dark place and I felt even more alone. So, if this book can help even one person, I am most proud.
What do you do for fun when you are not writing?
I love spending time with my family. My daughter, son in law and 2 beautiful grandchildren. Any time spent with them is a blessing and I don’t take it for granted. I love to color, meditate, and be outside in nature, especially near water.
What are you working on now and how do we find your book?
Presently, I am not working on another book.
About The Book
Title: The Other Side of Nothing–A Survivor’s Journey Toward Healing
Author: Hilda Valentine
Genre: Non-fiction Memoir, Mental Health
Publication date: May 3, 2022
Back Cover Blurb:
Hilda M. Valentine grew up on a small farm, attended college, and moved to New York for a better life. Working in insurance claims for more than twenty years, she climbed the ranks to a claims management position and finally landed her dream job as a supervising case manager for a structured settlement company. Her office was located on the 100th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade center in Manhattan. The position started in August of 2001. But one month later, on September 11th, everything changed.
In The Other Side of Nothing, she shares her survival story. It’s the story of being at her desk when the first plane hit the North Tower. It’s the story of being in the stairwell, on the seventy-fifth floor, just below the impact as the second plane struck the South Tower. But most importantly, this is the story of the long road of healing that followed.
This memoir offers insight into the aftermath of a 9/11 survivor and how God’s word and his grace and his mercy sustained her throughout the journey.
Giveaway
I am giving away one (1) Kindle eBook copy of Hilda’s Book, The Other Side of Nothing. Leave a comment to enter. Answer this question: What one moment in time changed the direction of your life?
Ends: 9/18/23
Stories By Gina 