Once More We Saw Stars by Jayson Greene is a gripping memoir of a father’s grief and strength after the tragic death of his two-year-old daughter, Greta, befalling from an apartment window. Jayson tells his story in an intensely personal, honest manner, sharing his experiences as he struggles to come to terms with this unexpected tragedy.
Chapter One: On a Perfect Summer Day
The book opens on a perfect summer day in Brooklyn, where Jayson and his wife, Stacy, are picking up Greta from her first day of summer camp. As they are leaving, the couple is captivated by the beauty of the day, a day that Jayson will never forget for the life-changing event that followed. That evening, Greta accidentally fell out of a window in their fourth-floor apartment, and her death completely changes their lives. Jayson vividly captures the feelings of shock and pain the couple experiences, as well as the surreal emotions of knowing the tragedy could have been avoided.
Chapter Two: First Words
In the second chapter, Jayson begins to process the first few weeks of his grief, filled with hospital visits and waiting for assurance that he and Stacy will survive their ordeal. He shares his need to “practice” being a parent without his daughter, and how he lives every day with the horrifying memory of that fateful day. Throughout the chapter, he touches on the details of how his family is coping with the sudden absence of Greta, including their shared feelings of guilt and sadness.
Chapter Three: Lazarus
In this chapter, Jayson and his family struggle to move on from Greta’s death, and Jayson reflects on learning to accept the reality of what happened. He begins to reach out to others for support, and shares his experience meeting Lazarus, a grieving father with a similar experience. After hearing Lazarus’ story, Jayson finds solace in knowing he is not alone in his suffering.
Chapter Four: Stations
Jayson describes his search for peace and meaning, and the struggles of trying to find a way forward. He begins to pray, and talks about his visits to weekly Sunday mass and his quest for forgiveness. He discovers the practice of visiting various churches in the tradition of “stations,” meant to bring some kind of relief to his grief.
Chapter Five: Letting Go
Jayson reflects on the coming of the anniversary of Greta’s death. Despite his attempt to move ahead, he finds his grief still persists and overwhelms him. He slowly starts to accept the pain and learns to move forward through accepting what happened, and acknowledging the beauty of the moments shared with Greta.
Chapter Six: The Lipstick Tower
In this chapter, Jayson and Stacy take a step forward by moving to a different neighborhood. They are determined to reclaim their life, although memories of Greta always linger in their new home. Through memories created in the apartment, Jayson and Stacy slowly find comfort in Greta’s presence, ultimately symbolized in the Lipstick Tower.
Chapter Seven: The Plunge
Jayson continues to outwardly mourn for Greta and searches for ways to continue honoring her memory. He takes up various traditions including an annual charity plunge in the Atlantic Ocean to raise awareness and money for those affected by tragedy. Through the plunge, Jayson attempts to reconcile himself with the loss of Greta and to amplify the joy that she brought to his life.
Chapter Eight: Every Day
Jayson reflects on the fragility of life and how he has learned to cope with his new realities. He shares his appreciation of every single moment of life, cherishing the small things as he strives to make the most out of the life he lives, in honor of Greta. He comes to finally understand and accept his grief, and acknowledges that it will always be with him in some way.
Once More We Saw Stars is a beautiful story of a father’s strength and courage to pick up the pieces of his life after a tragedy. Jayson Greene writes a raw account of his journey from his deepest grief to giving honor to his daughter and embracing joy in life. It’s an honest and poignant story of resilience and grief.
