Rebecca Skloot Timeline and Summary

•  Back
• More 

• Skloot contacts Roland Pattillo and tells him she wants to write about Henrietta. After a while, he gives her Deborah's number.
• She calls Deborah and they chat for a long time, but the next time she calls, Deborah tells her she needs to get the brothers' permission to continue.
• Skloot calls Day, but he brushes her off.
• She travels to Baltimore to meet Sonny, but he stands her up. She goes to Turner Station instead and tries to talk to Courtney Speed.
• Skloot goes to Clover, Virginia to see Henrietta's old home. She meets Cootie and chats.
• She also meets Cliff, who shows her the home-house and cemetery.
• She visits the white Lackses in Clover and Henrietta's sister, Gladys.
• Skloot returns to Baltimore two months after first attempt to see Sonny. This time, Sonny brings her to Lawrence, where she meets Bobbette and Day.
• Skloot finally meets Deborah after a year of research at a B&B in Baltimore.
• Deborah takes Skloot to meet Zakariyya.
• Skloot and Deborah begin to take road trips together to do research. They go to Lengauer's lab with Zakariyya to see HeLa cells for the first time.
• Then they travel to Crownsville to learn the awful truth about Elsie
• They visit cousin Gary in Clover, where Skloot witnesses his faith healing with Deborah.
• Gary tells her about HeLa being Henrietta's resurrection body.
• Skloot continues research by herself, since Deborah's too ill. She learns that Deborah had a stroke.
• Skloot attends JaBrea's baptism and gives an impromptu speech about HeLa to the congregation.
• She returns to Clover one last time, only to find it gone.
• She tries to contact Deborah about the finished book, but gets no answer. Sonny calls to say that Deborah has died.
• Skloot recalls watching videos and chatting with Davon and Deborah.