Evan: A Father's Tribute to His Son

Book excerpt: In a highly personal account, the author, Don Bliss, tells how he coped with the sudden passing of his eldest son, Evan, at age 35. Evan was fulfilling his passion as a singer-songwriter as he pursued his day job as a health informatics specialist working on HIV/AIDS. Returning from Kenya where he was training Kenyan medical personnel, he suffered a pulmonary embolism after sixteen hours of flying. Bliss shares a tribute to his son and how, he, as a father, was enriched by Evan's life-his music, humor, independent thinking and insatiable curiosity, athletic prowess, and deep understanding and expression of love in all its dimensions. Sharing insights from family, mentors, classmates, bandmates, colleagues at work, and his fans, Bliss relates how much he has learned about the many impactful ways that Evan lived his 35 years to the fullest. He wrote and performed some 100 songs that expressed his insightful personal philosophy about life and human relationships, which deeply touched many.