Andrea's parents Ilse and Roland (a former boxer), both native Germans, moved to Chicago, Illinois in the mid 50s. Susy Jaeger was born in 1962, Andrea was born on June 4, 1965. The Jaeger family would own a restaurant and a beauty shop. Andrea started playing Tennis at age 8, being taught by her father who was to become her coach during her professional career. Andrea also was into spirituality and religion as a child already and had a strong believe in God.

Both, Susy and Andrea played tournament Tennis. As a junior, Andrea Jaeger won 13 national US titles, all of them against players who were much older and taller. Andrea had an enourmous amount of talent for this game. That combined with a daily practise schedule (after schoolwork was done) made her one of the best women Tennis players in the world within 5 years.

In 1979, at age 14, Andrea switched from the juniors to professionals. She won 13 matches consecutively from pre-qualifying over qualifying to winning the main field at a tournament in Las Vegas which enabled her to play the big international tournaments. She was elected "Rookie of the Year 1980". A first book was published, telling about her beginnings on the WTA-tour. In her rare spare time she started visiting children at hospitals, bringing them toys and gifts.

1981 to 1983 where the prime years of Andrea Jaeger's career. She became the number 2 player of the world and won the mixed doubles at the Grand Slam tournament in Paris (French Open) in 1981 (with Jimmy Arias, see picture). She won the US Clay Court Championships (81), several Wightman Cups and Federation Cup and reached a French Open singles final (82). In 1983 she reached the Wimbledon final by beating Billie-Jean King, losing only to Martina Navratilova. Andrea was one of the superstars of the game, giving interviews, having big endorsment deals and receiving awards. She graduaded from high school in early 1983.

Continuing injuries on her hip (surgery in 1981), feet (she had to switch from practising on American hardcourt to clay court), and shoulder (7 surgeries over the years) forced Andrea to quit Tennis. "By giving me such a talent for this sport God gave me the chance to prepare for bigger challenges and purposes in my life", so Andrea. Her shoulder at times hurt so much that she couldn't move her arm naturally, let alone play Tennis.

In 1985 Andrea moved out of her parent's house and settled down at a Tennis camp in Florida where she could work as an assistant. There, she met Heidi Bookout and Beene Smyley with who she later built up the Kids' Stuff Foundation which was to become the Silver Lining Ranch. In her spare time she studied zoology. Andrea retired from professional Tennis in spring 1987, at age 21.

Andrea was involved in a horrible car accident in late 1988 which resulted in a fracture in her spine. Soon after she and her friends and collegues moved to Aspen/Colorado, where they were going to set up a camp for children with life-threatening diseases.

The Silver Lining Ranch was opened in 1990. Since then hundreds of kids have been experienced a wonderful time there in what actually was a tough period in their life. The Silver Lining Ranch has become and is becoming a worldwide known institution that finds support from so many human beings. Celebrities like Cindy Crawford, John McEnroe, Paul Newman, Monica Seles, Kevin Kostner, Madonna, and Garth Brooks have supported the Foundation, too.

She tells about her family who came all the way from Germany to fulfil their goals, describes how the media even came to her school to get an interview, tells about her nagging injuries and why she had to quit Tennis, mentioning the good and the bad sides of the professional tour. She describes how she met the people who helped her establish the Kids' Stuff Foundation, the way she created and realized her dream, always accomponied by a strong belief in God and his devine support. You can read about her meeting Madonna and Cindy Crawford, read unique stories about those strong kids who have visited the Silver Lining Ranch and the way the Ranch supported them. It's a very interesting read, as Andrea Jaeger, still only 39 years of age has experienced so much in her life!

In 1994 Andrea won the "Player who makes a difference award", all her life she devotes to the Silver Lining Ranch, looking for contributions (she spend all her own earnings) to enable the children to spend a joyful time in Aspen and give support when they're back home. Andrea Jaeger wrote her autobiography in 2003 in which she vividly remembers her rise to the top as a Tennis youngster, her friendship and rivalary with other top players like Chris Evert, Wendy Turnbull or Billie-Jean King.

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