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Mobley’s son, Michael, was a very likable lad. Teachers at school and church thought highly of how well-behaved he was and what a generous heart he had. That was before he got involved with drugs, which led to lying and stealing. His father noted that Mike always had expensive tastes and made his family out as wealthy. He became a master at hiding his double lifestyle even after the police got involved. He was in court on Thursday, and he was dead Sunday. For eight years after his suicide, family members never talked about Michael. Both of his parents seemed determined to eat themselves into early graves. The father’s health further deteriorated, and the author gained over one hundred pounds. That was when she decided to write down the family’s memories of trauma associated with the end of her son’s life. She felt that their experiences might be helpful to others.
The author’s book features candid and heart-wrenching reports of what followed Michael’s suicide—from the strategically positioned and self-inflicted gunshot to yellow police tape across the family’s front lawn identifying a possible crime scene to a note left for his parents wishing to cause the family no more grief. These experiences effectively recount a tragic nightmare—one full of anger, denial, guilt, and grief. Yet, Mike’s father noted that his wife became her old self as she worked with the help of a friend to recall and record them. In fact, Mike’s father was among the first willing to offer his memories. The healing which resulted from the author’s efforts can serve as a guide to others on how to heal their own lives. Mobley’s poignant and honest book could serve as a helpful model for readers facing similar situations to record some of their own grief.