Be Strong

About the Book

Anyone who has lost a loved one knows how lonely, aimless, and depressing life can feel afterwards. When Joy Ekwommadu’s husband died in a bus accident, it seemed impossible to keep living. Her three children also didn’t know what to do, and every day seemed like a struggle. In addition to feeling angry and frustrated, she sometimes felt guilty for being alive when her husband was dead. All of these feelings are normal, and dealing with them gets easier with time. In this memoir, Joy Ekwommadu looks back at her experiences in order to help others • memorialize and honour a loved one who has died; • appreciate the most important people in your life while they’re still alive; • deal with the tremendous grief that comes with the loss of a loved one; and • understand the feelings of others who have suffered a loss. Be Strong: A Memoir of Bereavement is also a tribute to Joy Ekwommadu’s late husband, Marcellinus Chukwuemeka Ekwommadu. He worked hard to be a success and to provide for his family, and his story is one worth reading and remembering.

About the Author

Joy Ekwommadu earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from Imo State University, Nigeria, and a bachelor of education degree and guidance study diploma from the University of British Columbia. An elementary school teacher, she lives with her three children in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.