Lorette's remarkable autobiography

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MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - Award-winning Mossel Bay business woman Lorette Grobbelaar has written a remarkable autobiography, detailing the trials, tests of faith and grief she has endured.

Lorette is the chairman of the Mossel Bay branch of the South African Council of Business Women, which this year won the council's national award for the fastest growing branch in South Africa. She founded the branch.

Lorette is a mother of two sons, one of whom was extremely ill as a child. Lorette was widowed at the age of 38. She had had a dream marriage and her husband died suddenly, leaving her and her children in a state of severe shock. She writes of the challenges of raising two boys on her own, who each went through their own challenges and traumas.

Being part of an extremely close-knit family, the death of more of her loved ones affected her deeply.

PHOTO GALLERY: Lorette launches autobiography

A hardworking woman in the men's world of the tyre fitment industry, Lorette has put in long hours during her career of 30-odd years and endured much stress, which took its toll on her health at times.

She went through burnout and then as a mature woman, had the added anxiety of being in a relationship with a manipulative, controlling man, whom she had actually hired in one of the tyre businesses.

Lorette's compelling, short book of about 70 pages is hard to put down. One can read it in one evening. It is an encouragement for other women to tell their stories, so that they help other women. She is an unsung heroine in our midst and there must be others like her.

VIDEO: Local business woman writes autobiography

Every situation
Titled Anker van Hoop, the book shows how Lorette chose to be hopeful in every situation, no matter how dire. On the back cover, the scripture, Hebrews 6:19, is quoted: "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

If one speaks to Lorette, she comes across as level-headed and realistic. There is nothing gung-ho about her. No crazy Pollyanna-type positivity. She is deeply rooted in reality. Her book also helps one to understand her better. Her trials have made her patient, reasonable and one of the sanest people you will ever speak to.

At her book launch on Thursday, 9 December, she said she had a number of journals lying in drawers. It was her habit to journal at the end of a day. She spoke of the introspection she might engage in after seeing a friend. "Could I have encouraged her more," Lorette would write, for example.

Anker van Hoop is written in a straightforward, easy style.

It is published by OneLife Media & Publishing Group. Mossel Bay local, Dr Ziva Spangenberg (074 766 4749), is the managing director of this publishing company. She has published a number of books and welcomes works from first-time writers.

For more information and to purchase a copy of Anker van Hoop, contact Lorette (082 829 7105 or lorette@oliver.co.za).

The book inspires hope.