First-time local author Colby Gaudette chose to write “I Wish You Could See” after the sudden and unexpected passing of her husband. “My husband Greg was a firefighter and paramedic for the City of Lethbridge and he passed away unexpectedly in an accident last summer.”
“Our son was 13 months old when my husband passed away. I was struggling and trying to navigate my own grief, while also attempting to support my son and teach him about his dad being in heaven and everything that had happened,” says Gaudette.
Prior to writing the book, Gaudette says she had ordered a bunch of different books on grief and read them all. “None of them really resonated with that message I was hoping my son would remember and understand.”
“From that, I chose to make a few notes and put together what turned into ‘I Wish You Could See.’” The self-published book was completed in January, released in February and is available online through Amazon.
The initial hope with the book, adds Gaudette, was any young child who had been touched by grief would feel a special connection to their loved ones by reading it.
“I wanted to make it inclusive for any child and for any relationship to their loved one who had passed. It’s not specific to it being a grandparent or a parent or a sibling. It has a customizable section of the book you can write down your loved one’s relationship, so whoever you’re reading it to or whoever is reading it gets that special connection.”
Gaudette says the book was something she was very passionate about and it was a cathartic experience for working through personal grief. “It allowed me to focus on a much bigger picture and try to help as many little hearts heal from loss as I possibly could. It gave me a purpose out of tragedy.”
Locally, support for the book has been absolutely incredible, adds Gaudette. “My husband was a big part of the community. I think people felt the need to try and support me and my family, as we worked through our loss.”
“However, there has been such tremendous support all over North America, as far as interest in the book. I think because there wasn’t a lot of resources available for young kids surrounding grief. It’s a definitely much more widely talked about topic now, so I like to be able to offer that support. Overall, it’s been an incredible experience and being able to hear the stories about the kids it’s helped has been 100 per cent worth it,” says Gaudette.