Mark Singel, a Johnstown native and Penn State graduate, won election as Lieutenant Governor in 1986 as Robert Casey's running mate. In 1993, Governor Casey was stricken with Appalachian familial amyloidosis, a rare and usually fatal liver disorder. The governor required a multiple organ transplant, which was still experimental at that time. While the governor was incapacitated and recovering, Mark Singel became the acting Governor of Pennsylvania. This book is Mark Singel's recollection of the events that year.

Mark Singel served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 through 1995 and, for a period of time, Acting Governor of the Commonwealth. Prior to his terms as Lieutenant Governor, Singel served six years in the Pennsylvania State Senate and was chief of staff to two members of the U.S. Congress. Singel ran for U.S. Senate in 1992 and for Governor in 1994. He served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party from 1995-1998 and was the President of Pennsylvania’s Electoral College in January, 1997. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention five times from 1992 through 2016.