From The River To The Sea: Heartbreak and Hope in the Wake of United 93

The story of heartbreak to triumph in the wake of a tragedy. Their first date in college was a U2 concert and after that Lauren and Jack Grandcolas were inseparable. He was mesmerized by her sweetness, fierce intelligence, and eyes that were as blue and alive as the ocean. They married and settled in San Francisco, each pursuing their dreams in the business world. After a decade of trying, Lauren finally got pregnant at the age of thirty-eight. On September 6, 2001, she flew to New Jersey—her beloved Little Grandma had died and following the funeral Lauren shared the joyous news of her pregnancy to lift her family's spirits. Flying home to Jack on September 11th, she arrived at Newark airport early and walked on to a flight for which she had not been ticketed: United 93. During that terrifying flight, Lauren left a calm and reassuring voice mail for Jack, which remains a testament to her courage and selfless love, even in the face of her own mortality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 32 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2022
Publisher: Rare Bird Books

The story of heartbreak to triumph in the wake of a tragedy.

Their first date in college was a U2 concert, and after that, Lauren and Jack Grandcolas were inseparable. He was mesmerized by her sweetness, fierce intelligence, and eyes that were as blue and alive as the ocean. They married and settled in San Francisco, each pursuing their dreams in the business world. After a decade of trying, Lauren finally got pregnant at the age of thirty-eight. On September 6, 2001, she flew to New Jersey – her beloved Little Grandma had died, and following the funeral, Lauren shared the joyous news of her pregnancy to lift her family's spirits. Flying home to Jack on September 11th, she arrived at Newark airport early and walked on to a flight for which she had not been ticketed: United 93. During that terrifying flight, Lauren left a calm and reassuring voice mail for Jack, which remains a testament to her courage and selfless love, even in the face of her own mortality.

Like a River to the Sea is a story of love overcoming loss. In this moving memoir, Jack Grandcolas brings to life his college sweetheart while taking the reader through his long journey to make peace with the loss of Lauren and their unborn child. Jack is honest about the depth of his despair and his battles with depression, PTSD, and heavy drinking. As he digs himself out of the deepest hole imaginable, Jack learns universal truths that will help anyone confronted with tragedy.

Like a River to the Sea is also a deeply personal look at an event of historical importance. Jack takes us inside the White House to meet with President Bush and to the precipice of a still-smoldering hole in the earth outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The book goes aboard United 93 in its final minutes, when this brave collection of Americans fought back against the terrorists who had taken control of their plane.

In the aftermath of 9/11, Jack faced unimaginable grief and loss. He struggled to cope with the trauma of losing Lauren and their unborn child, and he felt lost and alone. But through his journey of healing, Jack discovered the power of love, resilience, and forgiveness. He learned to honor Lauren's memory by living his life to the fullest and by using his experience to help others who were going through similar struggles.

Like a River to the Sea is a powerful and inspiring memoir that will touch the hearts of anyone who reads it. It is a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome even the most devastating of circumstances and to find hope and meaning in the face of tragedy. Jack Grandcolas's story is a reminder that we are all connected and that we can find strength and courage in each other, even in the darkest of times.

Weight: 218g
Dimension: 133 x 212 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781644282229