Andrea Brandt is the mother of 4, with a passion for teaching children. She was an educator for 35 years, with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is also a bereaved parent. In 2004, the unthinkable happened when her 16 year old daughter Gretchen was killed in a car accident. Her young sons, who were 14, 12, and 10 at the time, were left without their big sister. Andrea and her husband Gary were left in a world they had no experience with.
Andrea understood the importance of dealing with the trauma and the impact it would have on her boys. She has spent the past 20 years keeping her daughter's memory alive and giving back to the community that so compassionately surrounded her family and helped them to move on.
Her first book, Never Give Up on Tomorrow, is a children's book about losing a sibling and all of the things your family does to move ahead and continue to live. it is told through the eyes of her youngest son Kyle and is heartfelt and inspiring. Andrea's hope is that it helps other families who find themselves in the same place as the Brandt family. They are living proof that surviving children can go on to live successful and happy lives.
Her second book, Good Game Gretch, is the story of Gretchen, in all her goodness. It's a story of the happiness Gretchen brought to those around her, and the devastation her death brought in 2004. Andrea tells step by step, how the pieces came together and her family survived the unthinkable with love, strength, and perseverance. This book is the entire journey of grief as a bereaved parent, told through Andrea's eyes.
