Daughters, Dads, and the Path Through Grief

Book excerpt: Losing a father can be absolutely wrenching. This insightful guide tells the story of the strong connections between daughters and dads throughout life, and the consequential grief and loss a daughter feels when her father dies. Stories from 50 women offer glimpses into the many aspects of father/daughter relationships that are warm and nurturing, sometimes complicated and conflicted, and always solid and enduring. The Italian American women interviewed ultimately find great peace and meaning in the on-going relationship with their fathers, even after death. Using these women’s stories, the readers are presented a multi-faceted discussion filled with amusement, complexity and intensity, struggle and resistance, and above all, remarkably powerful family bonds. The daughters’ reactions to the passing of their fathers display the strength of relationships built over many years, as well as the spiritual and emotional framework that shapes the lives of many Italian American women today.