when the air left

After experiencing the deep, visceral pain that resulted from the loss of her mother, Mackenzie Foreman entered an odyssey of grief that tested her hope and her endurance. Follow her journey from darkness to light in a book that teaches readers how to confront the unthinkable.

The stages of grief are painful to navigate, regardless of how personal the loss. But for Mackenzie Foreman, losing her mother-her best friend-at twenty-six years old was like hitting a brick wall. When Mackenzie's mother died of stage four cancer, the world seemed to crumble beneath her. She began writing to give words to the pain.

Now able to fully describe to herself her journey of shock, loss, and the personal wakeup calls that came from her mother's passing, Mackenzie brings an incredible story of navigating through bereavement. From opening up a chest full of memories to navigating the new normal of a life without her mom, Mackenzie gradually began to repair the empty space inside her heart.

Readers can follow along on her path, learning to unpack themes of coping with change, forgiving the past, integrating tradition with the future, and understanding the power of love to heal and restore. The stories and poems in this book show the way a loss genuinely breaks down the lives of those who remain, but also inspires toward hope. The book also contains beautiful, resonant illustrations by artist Cassandra Soniat.

For those who have lost a parent or anyone else that they love, this book will be a powerful gift and a welcome support in the journey.