The Living Memories Project
Legacies That Last
The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last is an inspirational and uplifting book that shows readers how others have developed meaningful ways to keep alive the memories of those no longer here.
It is a unique collection of inspiring stories that celebrates the lives and legacies of loved ones. It details, through interviews, anecdotes, essays, poems, and photographs the many ways that both celebrities and others have transcended grief to incorporate the presence of their loved ones into their lives. It provides numerous proactive, creative, comforting, and concrete ways to restore focus on how loved ones lived, rather than how they died. It was awarded a Silver Medal in the 2014 Living Now Book Awards. Along with its companion, My Living Memories Project Journal, it is a positive roadmap for uplifting, comforting, and healing the bereaved.
Among those who have contributed personal stories are the following:
- Author, actor, and raconteur Malachy McCourt, who presents his unique take on how he keeps alive the memory of his brother Frank (Angela s Ashes) through the Irish tradition of song and story.
- TV Personality Nick Clooney, who keeps alive the memory of his sisters, Rosemary and Betty, through a museum, foundation, and special events, and who carries on his grandfather s values of social responsibility through his work on behalf of Darfur with his son, actor George Clooney.
- Robert Meeropol, the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who established the Rosenberg Fund for Children.
- Physician and musician Yeou-Cheng Ma, sister of famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who carries on their father s legacy through her work with The Children s Orchestra Society, which her father founded.
- Liz and Steve Alderman, who lost their son Peter on 9/11 and created the Peter C. Alderman Foundation in his memory to assist trauma victims in Third World countries.
- Lynda Johnson Robb, daughter of President Lyndon Baines Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson who, through her work, keeps alive her mother s love of wildflowers.
- Sherri Mandell who, following the murder of her 13-year-old son and his friend, created a foundation to help bring emotional, physical, and spiritual healing to bereaved children and adults.
- Author and genealogist Arthur Kurzweil who, captivated as a child by his father s stories of their Polish ancestors, went on to write numerous books on genealogy.
- The parents and sister of Air Force reservist Major Stuart Adam Wolfer killed in Iraq, who started the MSAWI Foundation in his memory for the benefit of Americans in military service.
- A quilt designer who helps others preserve their memories of deceased loved ones through the creation of memory quilts.
- A bride who began her wedding ceremony with a poem she wrote in honor of her mother, whom she lost when she was 12.
- A woman who prepares her mother s favorite recipes in her honor.
Praise for The Living Memories Project
“Loved ones leave us but the memories remain. In this spirit, the authors of The Living Memories Project render the reader a profound service by giving us the tools to confer imortality upon generations past.”
―Rabbi Marc Schneier, The Hampton Synagogue and President, the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding
“The Living Memories Project shows us how to move forward after the loss of loved ones by keeping them alive in our hearts and the work that we do in their memory. It’s a sure read for everyone.”
―Marty Lyons, former Jets Star and founder of the Marty Lyons Foundation.
“For most of us, losing a loved one will be the worst tragedy of our lives. And we struggle with how to best honor their memory–indeed, how best to remember them. This moving book not only is a tribute to some extraordinary individuals who have gone before us, but also serves as a guide for all of us who wish to remember those who have touched our lives with their love.”
―Rev. James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage