Ask any parent to tell you their worst nightmare, and the universal response is always the same – losing a child. Jayson and Stacy Greene lived through this unimaginable tragedy on the day they lost their two year old daughter, Greta, in a horrible accident. Once More We Saw Stars, Jayson Greene, is the true story of a couple’s life-altering loss, excruciating grieving process, and finding the strength to carry on.
It started out as a lovely day in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Susan (Stacy’s mother) was babysitting her granddaughter, Greta. They stopped for a rest on a bench, enjoying a conversation about a show they had seen the night before, and completely unaware that eight stories above them, a windowsill was crumbling. Then, a brick fell. It fell hard and fast, cruelly landing on Greta’s head. She was rushed to the hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. When her terrified parents arrived, they were given the worst possible news – Greta had suffered an extensive brain injury. She would not survive.
Devastated, Jayson and Stacy were faced with only one heart-wrenching option – they had to say goodbye to their daughter. Sobbing, they held Greta’s little hands and sang her lullabies “Hi monkey,” my wife says. “We didn’t get very much time together. It wasn’t enough, was it?” Later, wanting Greta’s life to have meaning, they made the decision to donate her organs.
The next part of the book takes us through the services and the grieving process – numbness, anger, grief, sadness, wondering what would have been, if only. Jayson is reminded of Greta everywhere he goes. They try desperately for some sense of normalcy, and return back to work just two weeks after coming home while still in shock. Jayson spends his lunch hours walking to a nearby empty field, a place where he can be alone to cry, to talk to Greta, to express his pain and anger, and to scream out loud.
Through their grieving process there is, of course, insurmountable pain – but their love for one another and determination to survive are also evident. As grief weighs heavily upon them, they work so hard to connect spiritually with Greta in order to keep her in their lives. Perhaps this is the key to surviving the loss of a child. If parents can connect with them spiritually, then they are not completely gone. The child remains in their lives, but in a different way. Together, Jayson and Stacy attend a grief support seminar, where they work with a medium. At the seminar, Jayson tells Greta: “Hi sweetie,”…. Daddy and Mommy want to be OK for you, because you loved us happy.” This was an important step in their healing.
Later, they relocate and start over. Stacy becomes pregnant again. They also travel to New Mexico and participate in a grief retreat, where they connect even more deeply with Greta’s spirit. No parent ever gets over losing a child, but they did seem to come to an acceptance as they incorporated Greta into their lives in a spiritual way.
I’m sure it goes without saying that Jayson and Stacy Greene are exceptional people on so many levels. The most tragic situation was also a beautiful story of love, strength and resilience. Many marriages do not survive the loss of a child. For Jayson and Stacy, the pain of their loss seemed to intensify their love for each other rather than drive them apart. They leaned on each other for strength and support, grieving together through impossible depths of sadness. Their unbreakable bond and commitment to each other flowed steadily throughout the book. They worked so hard to be whole, and eventually found the courage to become parents once more. Truly, these are amazing people.
Once More We Saw Stars is about unthinkable loss, the will to survive and the endurance of the human spirit. Jayson Greene’s memoir comes right from the heart and tenderly enfolds the reader into his personal journey through the grieving process. Sad but inspirational, this memoir is a well-written, well organized, and deeply emotional page turner that I highly recommend. You will fall in love with this family and you will never forget their story.
Perhaps they are not stars in the sky. Rather openings where our loved ones shine down to let us know they they are happy. – Eskimo Proverb
To purchase on Amazon, click here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own.