"No mom can come up with the words to express the completely gut ripping pain of losing a child..."
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Remember Me, Shane by Christin R. Carlson Trafford Publishing
book review by Michael Radon
At the age of 15, young Shane died tragically in a river near his home. In his absence, his mother is beside herself with grief and has to find the strength to carry on through the support of her loved ones, family, and son's friends. This memoir chronicles the days leading up to Shane's death and the year that follows. From the unthinkable event of attending her son's funeral to the paralyzing grief that followed her every day, the author makes a transformative journey of sadness to acceptance with the help of her husband and young daughter. Using faith as a means to overcome her loss, the author manages to get the closure she is so desperately in need of and begin to fill the hole left in her life.
Told in a series of vignettes, each chapter represents a step in recovery for the author, starting at some positive memories taking place near the end of Shane's life. From his death onward, she puts her feelings on the page, sometimes writing in the present tense as a method to help her get thoughts out of her head during hard times. Sometimes the stories are heartwarming, other times they are truly saddening, but the journey of growth and learning to find joy in life again comes at the cost of hardship. This book can be quite inspirational for those dealing with intense struggles in their own lives, or to remind any reader not to take any day or person for granted.