To Thee We Do Cry: A Grandmother’s Journey through Grief

Not only is Mrs. Monahan’s book a glorious affirmation of her faith, but a heartfelt tale of family love and devotion.

–Judy L. Randall, SI Advance

In what was the most devastating event of their lives, Tom and Pat Monahan lost their nine-year-old grandson, Tommy, in a house fire in December of 2007. This unimaginable tragedy rocked their lives with pain and sorrow beyond description, of a kind and strength they had never dreamed of.

As a way of dealing with this unspeakable grief, Pat Monahan practiced what she preached as a professional bereavement counselor: she began journaling her feelings to work through the pain. Following the depression that comes with grief, she realized that this process was a major key to lifting her depression. In hopes of helping others whose faith has been shattered following the loss of a loved one, Pat presents her recorded thoughts and struggles in To Thee We Do Cry.

She describes the impact her grandson Tommy’s life and death had on the entire community of Staten Island; she also emphasizes the importance of coping with the struggle with spirituality while faced with such trauma. In the end, it is faith that will guide someone suffering from a loss back to living a full life once more.