The Bruised Reed

The Bruised Reed illustration is loosely based on my late Chinese-American grandmother, Madeline Lee Tan, and her autobiography.

After a turbulent adolescence in China during WWII, she immigrated to the United States and earned a teaching degree from UC Berkeley. She thought life would be peachy after marrying a doctor, but unfortunately grandpa passed away of leukemia when my mother was only 3 months old, leaving my grandmother to raise 3 small children on her own.

Her autobiography, The Bruised Reed, narrates her struggles through early life, her experiences as a Chinese-American, and her love her family, Chinese calligraphy, and most importantly, Jesus. It is available in two languages: Chinese and English for her grandchildren who are unable to read Chinese.

Her story can be read at her memorial website: forevermissed.com/madeline-tan