Delia Ephron didn't think she had another act in her. Why would she? She had lost her sister, Nora, and then her husband, Jerry. Grief is heavy. It's the kind of heavy that makes you want to close the door and never look at a sunset again. But then, something weird happened. An email. A simple, digital nudge from a man she dated fifty years ago. That’s the spark for Left on Tenth a second chance at life, a story that sounds like a movie script—which makes sense, given Delia’s resume—but is actually a grueling, beautiful, and terrifying reality.
It’s not just a romance. Honestly, if it were just a "finding love at 70" story, it would be sweet but maybe a bit thin. Instead, this is a memoir about the absolute chaos of the human body and the resilience of the human spirit. Just as she’s falling in love with Peter, a psychiatrist from her past, she gets hit with a diagnosis that feels like a cruel joke: leukemia. The same disease that killed her sister.
The Email That Changed Everything
Most of us delete emails from people we knew in college. We ignore the "people you may know" tabs on social media because, frankly, the past is usually the past for a reason. Delia didn't. When Peter reached out after reading an op-ed she wrote about the nightmare of cancelling her late husband’s landline—a struggle anyone who has dealt with a telecom company can relate to—it wasn't some grand romantic gesture. It was a connection.
They started writing. Long, rambling, soul-baring emails. You've probably felt that rush before, that digital dopamine hit when a notification pops up from someone who actually gets you.
Within weeks, they were "all in." It’s fast. It’s breathless. It reminds you that teenagers don’t have a monopoly on infatuation. But then, the floor drops out.
Life Has a Sick Sense of Timing
You’re finally happy. You’ve found a partner to walk through the literal and metaphorical park with. And then your blood cells decide to betray you. Delia’s diagnosis of AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) turned a rom-com into a medical thriller. This is where Left on Tenth a second chance at life stops being a light beach read and starts being a survival guide.
She had to go through a bone marrow transplant. If you’ve never looked into what that actually entails, it's brutal. It’s not just a "procedure." It’s an entire system reboot. You are brought to the brink of death so you can hopefully start over.
Why We Are Obsessed With Second Acts
There is this pervasive myth that after 60, life is just a long, slow fade to gray. We’re told to settle. We’re told that our "big" moments are behind us. Delia Ephron basically took that idea and threw it out a window on Tenth Street.
- The Nuance of Grief: She doesn't stop loving Jerry just because she loves Peter. This is a crucial point many people miss. Love isn't a pie; it doesn't run out.
- Medical Advocacy: One of the most striking parts of her journey is the role of the caregiver. Peter wasn't just a boyfriend; he became a medical bulldog.
- The Sisterhood Factor: Nora Ephron’s ghost looms large here. Not in a spooky way, but in the way we carry our siblings with us. Delia had to face the very thing that took Nora.
It’s about the courage to be vulnerable when you’re already wounded. That’s hard. Most people would have pushed Peter away to protect him from the upcoming trauma of the hospital wards. She didn't. She let him in.
The Broadway Evolution
If you follow the NYC theater scene, you know this story didn't stay on the page. It’s now a play starring Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher. It’s a bit meta, isn't it? A writer writes about her life, which becomes a book, which becomes a stage production where famous people pretend to be her.
But it works because the core of the story is universal. We all want to believe that a second chance is possible. We want to believe that even when the doctors are shaking their heads and the grief is so thick you can taste it, there’s a path out.
What the Critics (and Real People) Say
Some people find the story "too lucky." And sure, Delia has resources. She has access to the best doctors at Weill Cornell. She has a support system. But money doesn't make chemo hurt less. It doesn't stop the fear that hits you at 3:00 AM in a sterile hospital room.
The real value of her narrative is her willingness to show the "ugly" parts. The hair loss, the confusion, the rage at being sick. She doesn't sugarcoat the "second chance" part. It was earned in blood, literally.
Navigating Your Own Second Chance
Maybe you aren't dealing with a rare blood cancer or a long-lost lover from the 1970s. But everyone hits a wall eventually. Maybe it's a career shift at 50 or a divorce at 40.
Left on Tenth a second chance at life teaches us a few very practical, albeit difficult, lessons:
- Check your inbox. Not literally, but be open to the unexpected. We spend so much time guarding ourselves against disappointment that we accidentally guard ourselves against joy.
- Ask the hard questions. When Delia was sick, she and Peter had to have conversations that couples who have been together for 40 years haven't had.
- Grief and joy can coexist. You don't have to wait for the sadness to be "over" to start something new. It will never be over. You just build a bigger house around it.
- Advocate for your health. If she hadn't been proactive, and if she hadn't had someone fighting in her corner, the outcome could have been Nora’s outcome.
The Medical Reality of AML
For those looking for the facts behind the "miracle," AML is an aggressive cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for adults over 20 is around 30%, and it drops significantly with age. Delia’s survival wasn't just luck; it was a combination of cutting-edge science (specifically the bone marrow transplant) and incredible physical resilience.
She talks about the "fog" of treatment. The way time stretches and thins. It’s a vivid reminder that the "life" part of a second chance at life is a grueling marathon, not a sprint through a field of daisies.
Moving Forward With Purpose
If you're feeling stuck, or if you feel like your "best years" are a flickering light in the rearview mirror, Delia Ephron’s story is a necessary jolt to the system. It’s a reminder that life is incredibly fragile and stubbornly persistent all at once.
Next Steps for Readers:
- Read the Memoir: Get the full, unvarnished details in her book Left on Tenth. It’s better than any summary.
- Evaluate Your "Maybe": Is there a connection you've let go of? A passion you've shelved? Re-evaluate it through the lens of "what if."
- Update Your Health Records: Seriously. Delia’s story started with a symptom that could have been ignored. Don't ignore yours.
- Watch the Play: If you're in New York or catching a touring production, see the story brought to life. There's something powerful about seeing a survival story performed in a room full of strangers.
Life doesn't owe us a second act. But when one is offered, even if it comes with a side of terror and a hospital gown, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you don't let go until the credits roll.