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Uncle Adam, born and raised in the Maldives but a world traveler, was Harris's favorite uncle. He was full of life, love, and altruism. Frequent vacations in the Maldives bonded the pair and brought the whole family—siblings, grandparents, and cousins—closer than the average relatives. Harris never expected her charming, successful uncle to experience business setbacks that left him unable to provide for his wife and two children. Since he was a man whose self-esteem and happiness depended on feeling needed, his "heart cracked." He was forced to travel alone to Ethiopia for work, where he soon died in a freak accident. Because his death occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, his family experienced the comforting ritual of a funeral via live streaming, a true blessing to his family.
This adoring tribute to an intelligent, ambitious, religious, and large-hearted man is especially poignant because Harris is a genius at recreating his life. Her excellent childhood memories, insights into family relationships, depictions of Adam's gift for kindling immediate but warm friendships, empathy for his human failures, and a detective's knack for connecting his social media trails all shape a biography that is authentic and sincere. In his sixties, her uncle died loved by the village that adopted him in Ethiopia, and Harris tenderly details mourning, via the gift of technology, with his new "family."
This loving tale told by a devoted niece animates the life of a good, family man via his considerable emotional, financial, and physical adventures. Even though the pandemic denied in-person grieving, social media technology provided a unique measure of consolation and community, a tale that is all too familiar for many.