In a single moment, a lasting impact.

On August 9, 2005, my life changed forever.

My son, Drew, had just left a back-to-school gathering when a young driver, impaired by drugs, ran a stop sign and crossed into his path. Drew was only a week away from returning to Culver-Stockton College, where he was pursuing a degree in criminal justice and playing basketball on scholarship. In an instant, he was gone.

In the days, months, and years that followed, one thought echoed relentlessly through my mind: “I’m sorry, Drew. I failed you. As your father, I was supposed to keep you safe.”

If you’re holding this book, chances are you’ve experienced the heartbreaking loss of someone you love. First, let me say how deeply sorry I am for your loss. While I cannot fully understand your unique journey, I do understand the profound pain that grief brings.

No two people grieve the same way because no two relationships are the same. Your grief belongs to you, and it deserves the time, space, and compassion it needs. There is no timetable for healing, no perfect road map, and no single book that can answer every question your heart carries. If your loss is recent, you may wonder if you’ll ever laugh again, experience peace again, or find joy without feeling guilty. Those questions are natural. I asked them myself.

What I have learned is this: Although we never stop loving those we’ve lost, and we never stop missing them, the sharpness of grief can soften. With time, support, and a willingness to walk through the pain rather than around it, sorrow can eventually exist alongside hope. The love remains, and so does the possibility of living a meaningful life again.

This book is not about forgetting your loved one. It is about honoring them while discovering that healing is possible. My prayer is that these pages will offer comfort, understanding, and practical encouragement as you navigate your own path through grief.

Above all, I want you to know this: You are not alone. Hope is always close by.

— Tom Schmidt