Denia Zuki Mendenhall

But for the Grace of God Denia Zuki Mendenhall

Starting out in life as the daughter of the illegitimate son of Al Capone born to a Chicago brothel madam, Denia "Zuki" Mendenhall was programmed for a life of disaster. Escaping from a childhood of molestation, incest and beatings, she sought solace in sexual promiscuity during high school. A brilliant student, she survived a series of bad relationships while matriculating through college to achieve a master's degree. Infrequent liaisons with her father interrupted various husbands and live-in boyfriends as she tried to hold down honest jobs. Using her chief skill of seduction, she bedded all comers from Canadian drug addicts to paroled felons, cab drivers to wealthy patrons twice her age. She danced in strip clubs and serviced patrons three at a time. After her ex-Marine PhD father shot himself, she fell into psychological disarray, using drugs to kill the pain and cutting in the attempt to feel life. She remained in a state of isolation and agoraphobia as her health dwindled. In and out of psychiatric hospitals after failed suicide attempts, she finally decided to end it all in a euthanasia clinic in Switzerland. But just before she left, a miraculous breakthrough occurred that saved her life and set her on a course of sobriety and helping others.