Review of My Living Will
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Jyoti Murmu
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Review of My Living Will
[Following is a volunteer review of "My Living Will" by John Trautwein.]
Presently, suicide has become one of the greatest concern. Approximately 1.5% of all deaths worldwide are by suicide. Depression, anxiety and other psychological stress are also the serious issues among wide range of people, especially teenagers and adolescents. But the irony is, these are rarely the topics of discourse among people. There are so many stigmas and myths regarding suicide and mental health issues that no one wants to discuss such things even with family members or friends. 'Suicide is for celebrities or rockstars not for us common people', this is a common mindset among normal people like us and this is what the author also thought until he lost his eldest son, Will Trautwein by suicide.
My Living Will is a memoir by John Trautwein. It is the story of the parents of a fifteen-year-old boy, Will who committed suicide. John Trautwein, father of Will wrote this book after losing him. Like every parents, Susie and John never thought that their son, who was so friendly, cheerful and loving guy will not want to live anymore and will take his own life. They desperately search for the reasons, but couldn't figure it out. They try to reminisce all the events before their son's death, whether they have missed any warnings or any signs by their son but found none. At last the reasons were depression, societal pressure which forced Will to take his own life. After acknowledging it, the author tries to turn his loss to create something inspiring and hopeful. He decides to not let his son's death to be meaningless and together with his wife, Susie they establish a fundraising foundation called, 'The Will to Live foundation' with the motto "For the kids, through the kids, by the kids." The author wanted to create a positive impact of Will's death and to talk everything about mental health issues and suicide which he hasn't yet nor anyone else he knows has talked about.
This was such a heart-rending story. I was practically in tears everytime while putting myself in author's shoes. I can't even imagine myself, what will I do if someone close to me commits suicide. But the book isn't at all about losing hope. It empowers the reader as John Trautwein tries to spread the message of hope and love by Will's death. He talks to everyone and encourage others to talk about suicide and other psychological stress, to stop any other parents losing their teenage child by suicide. The story also represents the strength of love and care of family and friends as it was them who helps Trautwein family to return in their normal life.
To sum up, I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It changed my perspective towards death, especially suicide. We normally neglect such issues when it comes to our family members. We rarely asks our sons or daughters or brothers or sisters or friends, if they are struggling or having a really hard time. This book has been a life lesson to me as it taught me to speak and to act before time ticks away. Hence, I beseech everyone to read this book as mental health is really a greatest concern which needs a deeper conversations at every dining table. However, I would strongly recommend it to those who are in distress as the story is a journey towards hope, which I believe will show you the light in the dark tunnel and to those parents or guardians who still thinks this couldn't happen to their children.
******
My Living Will
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Presently, suicide has become one of the greatest concern. Approximately 1.5% of all deaths worldwide are by suicide. Depression, anxiety and other psychological stress are also the serious issues among wide range of people, especially teenagers and adolescents. But the irony is, these are rarely the topics of discourse among people. There are so many stigmas and myths regarding suicide and mental health issues that no one wants to discuss such things even with family members or friends. 'Suicide is for celebrities or rockstars not for us common people', this is a common mindset among normal people like us and this is what the author also thought until he lost his eldest son, Will Trautwein by suicide.
My Living Will is a memoir by John Trautwein. It is the story of the parents of a fifteen-year-old boy, Will who committed suicide. John Trautwein, father of Will wrote this book after losing him. Like every parents, Susie and John never thought that their son, who was so friendly, cheerful and loving guy will not want to live anymore and will take his own life. They desperately search for the reasons, but couldn't figure it out. They try to reminisce all the events before their son's death, whether they have missed any warnings or any signs by their son but found none. At last the reasons were depression, societal pressure which forced Will to take his own life. After acknowledging it, the author tries to turn his loss to create something inspiring and hopeful. He decides to not let his son's death to be meaningless and together with his wife, Susie they establish a fundraising foundation called, 'The Will to Live foundation' with the motto "For the kids, through the kids, by the kids." The author wanted to create a positive impact of Will's death and to talk everything about mental health issues and suicide which he hasn't yet nor anyone else he knows has talked about.
This was such a heart-rending story. I was practically in tears everytime while putting myself in author's shoes. I can't even imagine myself, what will I do if someone close to me commits suicide. But the book isn't at all about losing hope. It empowers the reader as John Trautwein tries to spread the message of hope and love by Will's death. He talks to everyone and encourage others to talk about suicide and other psychological stress, to stop any other parents losing their teenage child by suicide. The story also represents the strength of love and care of family and friends as it was them who helps Trautwein family to return in their normal life.
To sum up, I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It changed my perspective towards death, especially suicide. We normally neglect such issues when it comes to our family members. We rarely asks our sons or daughters or brothers or sisters or friends, if they are struggling or having a really hard time. This book has been a life lesson to me as it taught me to speak and to act before time ticks away. Hence, I beseech everyone to read this book as mental health is really a greatest concern which needs a deeper conversations at every dining table. However, I would strongly recommend it to those who are in distress as the story is a journey towards hope, which I believe will show you the light in the dark tunnel and to those parents or guardians who still thinks this couldn't happen to their children.
******
My Living Will
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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