Before I grow old

Losing a child is one of life's intolerable griefs. A complex paradox that turns the world upside down. Suicide adds an incomprehensible layer. Best-selling author of I'm not broken, I'm just different, Brooks narrates the life of her son, Gerard, from his birth when his dyslexic father misspelled his son's name at the Birth Registry Office, until Gerard's death at age 42.

The world was a foreign place that required tense navigation for this intelligent, thoughtful man as he struggled with lifelong anxiety and depression, although it was many years before he was given an explanation and a name - autism. It was a revelation that he wished had come sooner as he fought to gain control of his life.

An innate storyteller Gerard entertained family and friends with comic timing and drama, and Brooks delivers humour and warmth, often writing from her son's point of view, remembering the stories he told and the aspirations he had for his life before he grew old.

This narrative will lift you up, bring tears and laughter as Brooks falters at the brink of unfathomable loss, yet always searching for meaning and reaching out to others experiencing loss and grief.