Life After Breath

Susan VandePol founded Families of the Fallen for Fire Departments and churches after the duty-related death of her husband in 2005. The protocol is now being used in departments across the country and is endorsed by experts in the fields of Grief, Crisis, Trauma, Suicide Prevention, CIR, PTSD and CISM. Susan is certified in Grief, Crisis and Trauma Counseling, Grief Coaching, Master Life Coaching, Individual Crisis Intervention, Victim Response and Basic and Family Mediation. Her speaking engagements include women’s retreats and conferences, a Keynote at the ICISF World Congress and addressing the Honor Guard at the International Association of Firefighters Memorial. She homeschooled her 3 children without ever succumbing to pressure to wear Birkenstocks and now lives with her husband whom she shamelessly manipulated into falling in love with her. He obliged by sweeping her off her feet with a large broom. They now reside in Michigan.

Prologue
Chapter One Catching Your Breath
Chapter Two Crying in the Shower
Chapter Three Bury Your Face
Chapter Four The Aroma of Grief
Chapter Five More Smells
Chapter Six On the Fourth Day
Chapter Seven The Procession
Chapter Eight Transition
Chapter Nine The Unknown
Chapter Ten Remember
Chapter Eleven The Promise
Chapter Twelve Lacy
Chapter Thirteen Lost and Found
Chapter Fourteen Shoulders
Chapter Fifteen Dancing with Your Eyes Closed
Chapter Sixteen The Kiss of Worship
Chapter Seventeen Reconstruction
Chapter Eighteen Dancing in the Dark
Chapter Nineteen The Lampost
Chapter Twenty What’s in a Name?
Chapter Twenty-One Gracing
Chapter Twenty-Two Treasure
Chapter Twenty-Three The Veil
Chapter Twenty-Four Payment
Chapter Twenty-Five Good Posture
Chapter Twenty-Six Tools
Chapter Twenty-Seven Eclipse
Chapter Twenty-Eight Yearbooks
Chapter Twenty-Nine The Ark
Chapter Thirty Rest
Chapter Thirty-One Sanctus
Chapter Thirty-Two Dry Bones
Chapter Thirty-Three Settling
Chapter Thirty-Four Faithful
Chapter Thirty-Five Firsts and Lasts
Chapter Thirty-Six Flags and Banners
Chapter Thirty-Seven Grief’s Ovation
Chapter Thirty-Eight Dross
Chapter Thirty-Nine Blossoms
Chapter Forty Endurance
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Endnotes