My name is Tanya. I was born in Hertfordshire, UK, but when I was 19, I left for Canada. England had become a place I could no longer endure. After losing my mum suddenly at age 13, my world shattered, and I was left vulnerable to situations that no child should face. Groomed by a close family friend and later subjected to physical, verbal, and emotional abuse from my dad’s partners, I felt lost, alienated, and consumed by anger. Trust became a foreign concept. I distanced myself from old and new friends alike, always questioning their loyalty, always wondering what they wanted from me. Leaving England felt like a desperate attempt to save my life and leave behind the person I no longer recognized.

In Canada, I found my soulmate and built a family. But life tested me again. My husband, the beautiful man I built dreams with, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was a long, painful ten years of watching him fade away, the love of my life slipping through our grasp while our children bore witness. Watching my children endure that loss broke me in ways I didn’t know were possible.

When I decided to write The Day I Learned to Pump Gas, I wanted to share a story of strength—about standing up when you feel you can’t, about finding hope and faith when life batters you relentlessly. My journey has been filled with trials, but each time I fell, I stood up stronger than before, driven by the love for my children and a deep faith that, though I didn’t seek, found me when I needed it most. Looking back, I realize I was never truly alone.

I want to share my journey with you, honestly and openly: from the days I feel I can conquer the world to the days when getting out of bed feels impossible. My hope is to show that even when life leaves us shattered, healing is possible—and “healed people, heal people.”

Welcome to my story.

Tanya.

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You can follow me on the following:

Facebook - facebook.com/tanya.marcon

Instagram - instagram.com/tmmoore17

TikTok - tiktok.com/@tmarconmoo