Author Rick Yancey, caught everyone’s attention that has ever lost their father or mother when he wrote about the experience in his Michael L. Printz Honor Award-winning novel, “The Monstrumologist.”

In the book he wrote, “A child has little defense against the sight of a parent laid low. Parents, like the earth beneath our feet and the sun above our heads are immutable objects, eternal and reliable. If one should fall, who might vouch the sun itself won’t fall, burning, into the sea?”

That really hits the nail on the head if you’ve ever experienced losing a father or mother. Some people experience it first hand. Maybe their parent was in a car accident, or maybe they received a devastating diagnosis that eventually cost them their life.

Whatever the reason for the loss, a person never truly recovers from losing a parent. Will Reeve, son of famed actor, Christopher Reeve, knows exactly how it feels. He watched his father suffer as a quadriplegic after a horse riding accident severed his first and second vertebrae in an accident in 1995.

His dad passed away in 2004, and shortly after his death, his mother, Dana Reeve, learned that she had lung cancer. The irony is that she had never smoked a day in her life. Still, just 17 months after losing his father, Will lost his mother as well.

At just the age of 13, Will was all alone. He’s now 26-years-old and hasn’t allowed himself to focus on the bad stuff. Instead, he has chosen to focus on the memories of his parents. He says it was their guiding hand that made him the person he is today.

Even after the accident, it was Christopher that taught Will how to ride a bike. He says it was their example that continues to guide him even to this day. “I want you to know that we do not have all this figured out,” Will wrote in a letter to himself.

“But you know that in the years ahead, you will face no obstacle greater than the one you are starting to overcome right now, and no matter which way your journey leads, mom and dad will be there with you every step of the way. How lucky are you?” the letter continued.

How’s that for having a positive outlook on life and not giving in to your sadness and frustration? Share this inspiring story with your family and friends. We all need a little encouragement from time to time.