Author and Gold Star mom Deborah Tainsh gathered essays from more than twenty-five parents who received the dreaded news that their child had died in military service.
These invaluable stories show how today's military families survive the folded flag and give a glimpse into the lives of fallen service members and their families.
Includes advice for other Gold Star parents and their friends and families. Bonus essays from a casualty assistance officer and a former soldier give deeper insight into how wartime death affects comrades left behind.
This book is an invaluable asset for understanding what really happens in families who suffer the greatest of losses. --John C. Powledge, command chaplain, 335th Signal Command
Deborah Tainsh has given these Gold Star parents a place to voice their grief and their gratitude for their precious children. Don't miss the chance to get to know their fallen heroes. --Carla Blowey, former editor of Living With Loss Magazine
About the Author: DEBORAH TAINSH is an award-winning author of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry.
When Deborah's stepson, U. S. Army Sgt. Patrick Tainsh, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on February 11, 2004, she began writing about the experience initially to sort out her own grief. She captured the raw and tender moments of her family's sorrow and remembrance. Her book Heart of a Hawk: One family's sacrifice and journey toward healing brings readers into the Tainsh family's living room as Deborah and her husband, retired USMC Sergeant Major David L. Tainsh, hear the tragic news of their son's death and begin their struggle toward acceptance and peace.
Deborah's volunteer work with grieving families inspired her to compile stories from other Gold Star parents in Surviving the Folded Flag: Parents of war share stories of coping, courage, and faith.
Her poems are included in the National Endowment for the Arts archives of Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience.
