A Mother's Wreckoning - Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

NB- This book is written by Sue Klebold who is the mother of Dylan Klebold who was a shooter along with Eric Harris in the Columbine School Shooting. I want to say that even if you think/wish terrible things on the Klebold's because of Dylan's actions (which I hope as humans people would not do but I'm a realist so I know it will happen), please try and give this book a read. Try not let your judgment cloud what a powerful message this woman has to say, it's so very important.

I have read a lot and researched a lot about the Columbine Shooting so I feel that I am fairly knowledgeable on the subject. One thing that I never thought was that, “How could these parents know their children so well and not notice the signs that something terrible was going to happen.” This book is not Sue Klebold playing the victim or saying woe is me, she says how was she supposed to know something was odd when everything pretty much seemed normal. Only after the fatal incident did she start to become aware of things that MAY have been signs and even still nothing could predict such a huge incident of the Columbine Shootings. The reason she became aware after was she has spoke with many psychologists, etc in an effort to learn what she did wrong ... which in the end was nothing. Using her new found knowledge, she has become an advocate of promoting mental health among teens and young adults. One of the most profound things in the book that she admits and, I find it really sad, is she said, “Like mothers all over Littleton, I had been praying for my son's safety. But when I heard the newscaster pronounce twenty-five people dead, my prayers changed. If Dylan was involved in hurting or killing other people, he had to be stopped. As a mother, this was the most difficult prayer I had ever spoken in the silence of my thoughts, but in that instant I knew the greatest mercy I could pray for was not my son's safety, but for his death.” (pg. 17, Klebold) As a parent to have to think that is a very saddening and unfathomable thought and she wasn't being selfish either, she was being selfless. I found reading this book that Sue Klebold has done so much after the incident and suffered so much that she still is trying to help society and contribute in her own way. She tried to write letters to the victims families knowing that there could be back lash. She had to sit by quietly when crosses were put up, one for Dylan also, and then watch his be taking away and ripped apart. Even the simple act of burying her son was destroyed because of having to think people are going to degrade/destroy a public headstone and a funeral has to be in silence with only a short few people knowing and being welcome. In this media circus, Sue contracted breast cancer and yet she still fights every day to promote a positive message surrounding the brain health for teens and young adults. Kudos to you Sue, you are a champion in so many ways yet most people will never give you the credit you deserve. I will though 100%.