Rick Bell’s mother, Brenda Lee Bell, saved his life for the first time in 1997, when she gave him one of her kidneys as his had never developed at birth. The first page of Bell’s book, released in November, dedicates his writings to his mother, who he said Wednesday, Dec. 8, continues to save his life even though she died in 2014.

“I was born with gastroschisis where all your organs are on the outside of your body. My kidneys weren’t fully developed when I was born at 28 weeks,” Bell said while sitting in the cafeteria at the Slippery Rock Giant Eagle, where he works. My mom told me, ‘Keep going. One day at a time, you'll change somebody’s life.’ That's the inspiration.”

In part because of his health conditions, including cerebral palsy, Bell, of Slippery Rock, never thought he would write a book, but he had wanted to compile his experiences to help others overcome similar physical and mental health challenges. He found his way into published authorship when his high school guidance counselor, Andy Johnson, ended up in his grocery line in 2022.

That chance meeting started it all — not just the book, but establishing a scholarship at Slippery Rock University.

“He asked what I was up to, and I said I just finished my third children’s book because I am writing a children’s book for each of my six grandkids,” Johnson said. “He said, ‘Well I just finished a book.’ And that’s what started it.”

Bell’s book, “The Angel Who Overcame Life,” is the end result of two years of writing and collaborating with Johnson and the creative writing department at SRU. The book is 45 pages filled with Bell’s experiences, plus a Bible verse to start off each chapter.

The whole thing, Bell said, was an effort to empower others by sharing the things he went through and came out alive.

“It's not about me anymore, but I want to help change people's lives,” Bell said.

Johnson said he read a draft Bell sent him after their chance encounter, and he turned to SRU to help Bell go from a draft to a book ready to be published. He called Mark O’Connor, a creative writing professor at the university, who recommended one of his students, Alyssa Phifer, to help edit the book.

“He said, ‘I know just the person’ — he never hesitated,” Johnson said. “That was Alyssa. She was amazing.”

O'Connor said that although the department doesn’t typically connect students with an outside project, Johnson’s enthusiasm and Phifer’s ability drove him to approve the collaboration.

“We could have told Andy this is not our thing, but it seemed like a worthwhile project,” O’Connor said. “I just thought it would be a good job for our editor, Alyssa. A good challenge for her and not one that was overwhelming.”

Phifer was a senior when she was tapped to edit Bell’s book. Prior to her work on it, she had edited the university’s student literary magazine, Sound & Literary Art Book, also known as SLAB. Working on the book was the biggest project she had taken on up to that point, but Phifer said the process was good because it introduced her to Bell and Johnson.

“It was really cool to get to know Rick and Andy, but especially getting to know Rick's story and working on his story,” Phifer said. “I think the biggest challenge was figuring out how some sentences were meant to be ... understand from Rick's perspective what he was trying to say.”

Phifer added that it was a shot of confidence to be tapped to not only edit a book, but be paid for it while still going through school at SRU.

“It was, ‘I can't believe I'm doing this in the first place,’” Phifer said. “That's what I was hoping to do with my creative writing major. I really enjoy working on other people's stories.”

It would take years for Phifer and Bell to work out the book’s structure and voice, long enough for Phifer to graduate with her degree in creative writing, which she achieved in 2023.

Johnson applauded Phifer for sticking with the book until it was finally published. His appreciation went further than praise, however, because when Johnson wanted to start a scholarship in Bell’s honor, the first recipient was an obvious choice.

“I said for the creative writing major with either a writer or an editor, a senior,” Johnson said. “Rick said, ‘Why don’t we give it to Alyssa?’ He read my mind.”

Johnson, who funds the scholarship with his wife, said it is $1,000 per year. The scholarship will be endowed by next year, he said.

Phifer said she was surprised to receive the scholarship because being paid for her work editing was a pleasant surprise already.

“I remember when I first met with them to talk about editing; Andy had asked how scholarships worked,” Phifer said. “I didn't know it was for me in the end. It meant a lot to me.”

Bell, too, praised Phifer, and said the book could not have come together as well as it did without her.

“I've got to give credit to Alyssa because not only did she do all this work, but she was very thorough,” Bell said. “She emailed me, made sure everything was correct, everything in general.”

Johnson and Bell worked with a local publisher to get 100 copies of the book printed. Bell said holding the book for the first time was moving.

“You get emotional when things are in front of you, and when I read it I was like, 'Wow, I really went through that all,’” Bell said.

In the book, Bell recounts his experiences of growing up with cerebral palsy before having to go through hemodialysis as a teenager — a medical process that filters wastes and water from blood for people with non-functioning kidneys. The book also features stories about his mother and trips he and his siblings had with her to the Big Butler Fair, the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp and more.

Not only does Bell dedicate the book to his mother, he also gives a shout-out to the Center for Organ Recovery & Education, which he appreciates for its work promoting organ donation and education. Bell shared a memory of CORE that stuck with him and also helped inspire the book.

“I was 14 years old and I lost my biological father, and when I went to the funeral home, that's the first time I ever saw the CORE plaque at a funeral,” Bell said. “That was something that I really cherished.”

In the months since Bell’s book hit the shelves, he said he has heard good feedback from people, especially familiar customers at Giant Eagle, about his writing. Phifer also recognized Bell’s voice as a writer while she was editing it, and said she hopes others find his story as inspiring as she does.

“Rick and how much his community means to him, I thought that was really special when I was reading it,” Phifer said, “I hope people who read it get inspired.”

Bell’s book is available at area hospitals, including AHN Grove City Medical Center and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and some area churches. He has two book signing events scheduled — one from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Giant Eagle where he works, and one from 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 24 at Highland Presbyterian Church in Slippery Rock.

If nothing else, Bell said he hopes people think about becoming organ donors after reading his book, because of the way organ donation has affected him.

“I kept reminding myself my mom was the inspiration behind it, and she was a huge believer in organ donation,” Bell said. “I wanted people to understand the importance of organ donation as well.”