Dear Andrew

It is not unusual for a father to write to his son, but these beautifully written letters are far from usual. This father’s letters began a week after his 8-year-old son’s untimely death. (continued below...)

Book cover art by Robin Calzadillas

On May 19, 1988, Robert Goor stood, leaning against his car, waiting for Andrew to return from next door and for his visitation to begin, confident that nothing could ever disrupt the bond between them.  Without warning, a Radio Flyer wagon bearing a lone pale blond rider, appeared from behind a hedge, hurtling inexorably down the neighbor’s driveway while, mere seconds away, the outsized grille of a black SUV, loomed larger, ever larger, as if in horrible synchrony.   Time stopped, and all the hopes and dreams for the future evaporated like so much dust.

These deeply moving and life-changing letters, spanning over 20 years following Andrew’s death, cement Robert’s relationship with his son for eternity. The narrative is especially compelling because it is portrayed and written in real time, so the author’s freshness of feeling and the reader’s sense of participation are maintained from beginning to end.  In sum, the book is a fascinating and remarkable tale of deep feeling, growth, and of a father’s unconditional love. 

Inspiring and profoundly hopeful, Dear Andrew will appeal to all fans of memoir, even those who have never suffered the loss of a loved one.

Praise for Dear Andrew:

“A beautiful, fascinating book...at such depth that peace is made tangible and grace is discovered…processes so deeply both life and death, past and future, pain and hope.”                                         – Rev. Chaz Wesley, Grief to Grace on Unity Online Radio

“…Excellent…and fascinating…a very different book and a very different approach… The revelations are very powerful.  A wonderful book… We were blown away.”                                             – Gloria and Heidi Horsley, Open to Hope TV

“...A powerful book… I can’t recommend Dear Andrew enough ...gives people permission to connect to themselves…and to who they are becoming.”                                                                               – Jordon Ferber, Where’s the Grief Podcast

“Some of the most touching words I have ever read...so important and so relevant…an amazing book, incredibly relatable.”                                                                                                  – Kathleen Smith, Morphmom Moments on City World Radio

“…Really compelling…in a nutshell, to live with awareness of impermanence and potential loss.”                                                        – Cheryl Jones, Weathering Grief on Voice America