My Name Is Dad: A Father's Story of Loss and Triumph

by James Frank

Overview

A must read for every family! My book helps explain the many stages, experiences, loss, strength, overcoming, and moving forward after losing our son to suicide. Through my personal day to day life, I have tried to help myself and others move forward and ease the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. I only hope after reading this book, you will have a deeper understanding of suicide and the ripple affect it has on survivors. You will find answers to questions and the feelings you are and will be experiencing. I have also tried to explain the lack of medical practice and experts in the phycological field. Everyone knows the word and meaning of suicide, but it's simply just a common word until it happens in your family.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940165012044
Publisher:	James Frank
Publication date:	07/24/2021
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	137 KB

About the Author

James Frank was born on April 13th, 1970 in a small town in Ohio. At the age of 10, James along with his mother and sister moved to the state of Washington. In 1988 James joined the US Navy and toured the Mediterranean for 4 years. He married Natalia in 2005 who introduced a 10 year old son to James's family. A short year later, James and Natalia had a daughter. Everything was wonderful and they were living the American Dream. January 2017, tragedy hit their perfect life. Their son had committed suicide without any clues, signs, or warnings. Took James three years to gather the strength and 1 additional year to write this book.

Editorial Reviews

09/13/2021

Frank’s chronicle of life before and after his son’s death from suicide finds a father grappling with not understanding his son’s circumstances prior to his death, his own search for answers in the aftermath, and his adjustment to life as a partner and parent in attempting to heal and starting anew. He notes that his aim is to offer hope, support, solace to readers facing grief or depression after a death by suicide, a word that he argues “has no real meaning” for many “until it happens to someone in your family or friend circle.” Frank writes from the perspective of a father, and he carries that title and duty proudly.

This brief account of Frank’s experience is direct and powered by emotion. “Were they accusing us? Were they apologizing to us? Were they pleading for help?” he wonders as he looks into his late son’s eyes, questions he knows will haunt him the rest of his life. He recognizes that, before encountering suicide firsthand, he assumed “that suicide was due to someone’s own weakness.” Now he urges empathy and understanding, while also unleashing fury on the “criminal negligence” of a health care system that believes depression can be diagnosed with a form. This venting may seem contrary to the book’s mission of solace, and it’s unclear whether it’s written with legal expertise, but the expression of frustration can be a crucial part of working through trauma. Frank’s anger could help some readers face the grieving process–and the forms in which such feelings can be expressed.

Though Frank includes a trigger warning in the preface, there is value in stating in this review this memoir includes a graphic depiction of death, and some of the language surrounding suicide is dated. Still, Frank succeeds in his admirable goals of building empathy for those facing depression and suicidal ideation, encouraging an end to the stigma against death by suicide, and exhorting us all to act kindly.

Takeaway: A father’s reckoning with the loss of his son will both pull at heartstrings and inspire readers to be kind.

Great for fans of: Thomas Joiner’s Why People Die By Suicide, Brandy Lidbeck’s The Gift of Second: Healing From the Impact of Suicide.

Production grades Cover: C Design and typography: B+ Illustrations: N/A Editing: B Marketing copy: B

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