RANCHO SANTA FE — After the tragic death of her son nearly two years ago from the side effects of a flu shot, children’s author Adrienne Falzon immersed herself in a grief-fueled writing journey of her son’s biography.
Following Paul’s death at 43, strangers emerged with sympathetic words on social media, sharing stories with Falzon about how Paul lent a helping hand, which changed their lives for the better. This triggered the book, “Live Like Paul.”
Falzon began the arduous process of piecing her son’s life from childhood through adulthood, intertwining his insightful acts of kindness. Through endless months of sorrow, the project bridged into a healing catalyst for the grieving mother.
“Losing a child is a lifelong commitment to staying on the healing path,” Falzon said. “The second of my four sons were gone, and I would never be the same. I’ve always been very close to all my boys—the typical Italian mom about her sons. The grief was unimaginable, and I knew I needed a project.”
From the start, Falzon’s vision for the biography was to positively affect others while creating a platform to tell her son’s story. “Live Like Paul” tells a story of a man whose purpose in life was to help others and expect nothing in return.
“There’s no way I could recount all that he did and experienced, but I tried,” Falzon said. “The main idea I wanted readers to be left with is that he lived a life of love and giving; hence, the title of his autobiography.”
Falzon said the book addresses past and current ideologies and circumstances that are contrary to living our best life and how we have the will to change them.
“As seen by the legacy Paul left in all his friendships, and how he positively affected so many, we can only come away with the realization that it’s not the years in our life that matter, but it’s the kind of life we lead in those years,” Falzon said. “And, that life should be filled with giving, love, and acceptance of all those who may not be just like us — there isn’t another way to enjoy a fruitful and content life.”
Falzon hopes that readers will be immersed in her son’s story and walk away, realizing how everyone, even in the smallest of ways, can “Live like Paul.”
For more information, visit her website at AdrienneFalzon.com where you’ll find links to purchase her books on Amazon and Bluenote.