I'll See You Again

by Jackie Hance, Janice Kaplan (Contributor)

In a powerful and intimate memoir, Jackie Hance shares her story of unbearable loss, darkest despair, and, slowly, painfully, and miraculously, her cautious return to hope and love.
Until the horrific car accident on New York State's Taconic Parkway that took the lives of her three beloved young daughters, Jackie Hance was an ordinary Long Island mom, fulfilled by the joyful chaos of a household bustling with life and chatter and love. After the tragedy, she was "The Taconic Mom", whose unimaginable loss embodied every parent's worst nightmare. Suddenly, her life-long Catholic faith no longer explained the world. Her marriage to her husband, Warren, was ravaged by wrenching grief and recrimination. And her mind, unable to cope with the unfathomable, reinvented reality each night, so she awoke each morning having forgotten the heartbreaking facts: that Emma, age 8; Alyson, age 7; and Katie, age 5, were gone forever. They were killed in a minivan driven by their aunt, Jackie's sister-in-law, Diane Schuler, while returning from a camping weekend on a sunny July morning.

I'll See You Again chronicles the day Jackie received the traumatizing phone call that defied all understanding, and the numbed and torturous events that followed, including the devastating medical findings that shattered Jackie to the core and shocked America. But this profoundly honest account is also the story of how a tight-knit community rallied around the Hances, providing the courage and strength for them to move forward. It's a story of forgiveness, hope, and rebirth, as Jackie and Warren struggle to rediscover the possibility of joy by welcoming their fourth daughter, Kasey Rose Hance.

The story that Jackie Hance shares for the first time will touch your heart and warm you to the power of love and hope.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, True Crime, Biography, Biography Memoir, Grief, Death

277 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2013

Reviews

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've really pondered what to say about this book without being unkind. The author and her husband suffered an unimaginable tragedy; who can say how any of us would react? There is no right or wrong way to grieve. And yet. I can't separate what happened from my view of the author. She seemed to have no adult coping skills. None. At. All. Her entire life and identity were built on being a mother and caring for her girls. After the accident, she wanted -- nay, she EXPECTED -- her husband and friends to take care of her, for months and months and months on end. Frankly, the people in her support system deserve sainthood for putting their lives on hold as Jackie took and took and took. Most disturbing to me, she seemed to give no thought at all to the grief borne by her poor husband, which was compounded by the fact that his sister was the driver. Another reviewer suggested that this should have been a private journal and not for public consumption. I agree.

[Angeles · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a story of triumph over tragedy, so I grabbed this book from the shelf, wholeheartedly expecting to fall into a world of despair and pain, tears, then hope and joy.

While the author certainly told us ABOUT those feelings, I felt not a one of them. I shed not one tear. Barely lifted my lips in a minuscule smile. Let out not one shout of laughter. For someone as emotional as I, this is unusual and disappointing. Most of the book was a "why me" scream. Mrs. Hance used her grief to try to excuse herself from emotionally abusing her husband, shutting out her mother, and taking gross advantage of friendships. Being angry at her friends for wanting to move forward with their lives after they had completely rearranged their lives, their families lives, and their schedules to be sure she was not once left alone for what seems to be the better part of 18 months is the most childish, selfish, and ridiculous thing I have heard all year.

I am not saying someone's tragedy SHOULD be entertainment of any sort, but if you're going to put it into book form, it should be less clinical and far more emotional. The devastation this family lived through should have had me bawling. Instead, I found myself impatient to finish the book so I could watch TV instead.

Something that also makes me dislike Mrs. Hance is that she is angry with her brother in law, so she walked away from his child--the sole surviving victim of the terrible, tragic accident that killed her children. Just because he won't or can't accept his wife's actions doesn't mean the child has done something wrong. So now the child has not only lost mommy and sibling, but ALSO Aunt Jackie and Uncle Warren.

Beautiful story, not well told.

[Amy Propst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to high school with Jackie, and our families went to the same small, Roman Catholic Church growing up. Our town was teeny and even though Jackie was a year younger, everyone knew everyone else. Because of that small-town connection, which will never-ever go away, this book deeply, deeply touched me.

It is devastating to know it is a true story. It is heart-wrenching to read the story of a person that you care about, and "hear" the raw pain in their words. All I want to do is hug Jackie and Warren, and their extraordinary friends and families. I wish I could make the pain go away. Thank God for the amazing support system that rallied behind them! Thank God for the outpouring of generosity, kindness, understanding and compassion.

It is a riveting book. Remarkably well-told.
Without a doubt, a sobbing, 2-tissue box worthy, tear-jerker.

Read it.

You will look at every relationship in your life differently afterwards. You will count your blessings for what you DO have now, and maybe it will even push you to repair relationships you've let fall into disrepair. It will make you want to be sure to hug everyone you care about and tell them you love them daily!

It is an amazing story about how, from even the darkest depths of despair and devastation, hope can grow, lessons can be learned, relationships can be deepened and new life can begin.

Read It.
:)

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about raw grief. It is not a journalist's look into how and why the accident happened -- it is written by the mother who lost 3 girls, a sister in law, and a niece in the accident. It vaguely mentions the other family who lost their lives - I am going to give the benefit of the doubt to the mother and guess this was due to legal reasons rather than a lack of compassion. People grieve very differently and there is no right or wrong way to do it. It is personal and raw and horrific. I give credit to the husband that he was strong enough in character not to walk away, because he was not often allowed to grieve in his own way because his wife's grief seemed to overwhelm everyone else's. She did not make room for other's grief - but at the time she was obviously not able to. They have the most amazing friends and support system ever, and perhaps that is why their marriage managed to survive. I simply can't fathom losing my children and then having it publicly splayed across the media, and having a movie made of my life's tragedy without my permission. I believe I would sign up for the crazy train as well. Kudos to her wonderfully supportive, way above and beyond friends who were always there for this family. Best wishes to Kasey for the future, my hope is that her entire life is not overshadowed by her sisters'. Her sisters were wonderful, but that's a lot of pressure. I continued to go back and look at the girl's smiling faces. Wishing everyone involved continued strength and peace.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a hard book to read, you can feel the family's pain. I could not imagine losing 3 of your kids at once.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems that some of the people that gave this book a low rating had unrealistic expectations that it would somehow provide details and answers about the crash. That is not what this book is about. It is an account of a woman who went through a horrific amount of emotional pain.

Some are complaining that she was throwing a pity party and taking it out on her husband. I am shocked at the lack of compassion. This is a heart wrenching story and Jackie is completely transparent throughout. It would not have been in her best interest to fabricate or exaggerate in order to appease the unfair expectations of those seeking “answers” to something that probably will never and can never be known about what happened that day.

Although a sad story, I found the book very interesting. The amount of support and love she received from her friends and community was not only encouraging, but inspiring. There should be more tight knit groups and communities. In the end, her marriage survived. That alone should be inspiring because not many make it after a tragic event like that.

Kudos to Jackie for getting through without giving up. I was able to see the human being behind the so-called “whining.” She is a woman that went through something no one should ever have to go through. It is only natural that she acted out. It takes real strength to get through something like that, and that is why I see this book as an inspiration. If she can get through it, it gives me hope that I can get through anything too.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll See You Again

3 / 5

I have to be honest: I didn't finish this book. I read maybe half of it. I couldn't understand why it was difficult for me to finish when it got such rave reviews. I just found this from a fellow Goodreader:

"It is difficult to review the story without coming across as unsympathetic, however a little self-pity goes a long way and Ms. Hance indulges in nearly 288 pages of it."

That. Exactly that. It's why I can't finish this book. The story is awful and you feel for the Hance family tremendously. We get to the terrible tragedy almost immediately and then for the chapters that followed, it was this distraught, broken mother and wife finding it hard to live. How do I review her story? How do I judge? I'm not. I don't want to. I would give the author a huge hug if I saw her on the street. It's just that I can't read through her grieving anymore. It's too hard and tedious to read page after page. There are too many other books I want to get into to waste time reading ones that aren't meshing with me. And today I am finally saying, that's ok.

[PrairieReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the HBO documentary, "There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane" and was so appalled at the behavior of her husband and sister-in-law to not accept the medical evidence of alcohol and drugs in Diane's system and their unwillingness to accept the fact that this tragedy was another example of driving while under the influence. I was also curious as to the lack of participation by the Hance family, although I can hardly blame them. How does one ever possibly get past such a tragedy as to lose all your children in a matter of minutes? How does one maintain their sanity, their faith, their very will to live? Jackie Hance faced all these demons down and shared her tale of loss, acceptance, forgiveness and renewal in a heartbreaking read. I was particularly overwhelmed with her courage in silence (as she did with her silence in the documentary), in what must have been an incredible betrayal by Diane's family following the tragedy. This truly was a story of grace and healing.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting a book that provided answers to the accident that took Jackie Hance's three young daughters. So many questions. How could a seemingly wonderful person (Diane) guzzle vodka and smoke pot and then get behind the wheel of a van full of kids and kill them by driving the wrong way on the Taconic Pky? Not only that, but she ended the lives of three men in another car as well. How could Diane's husband not notice anything was amiss when she got behind the wheel? How could no one who encountered her at a gas station or a McDonald's stop noticed odd behavior either? How can you handle living in a family where the murderer of your children is your husband's sister? Diane was a woman who in the past had only shown loving, concerned behavior towards her nieces. She had a high power, corporate job. She was not a person known to drink or do drugs. So what wrong on an idyllic summer day?

Jackie Hance has gone through unimaginable hell so of course she is entitled to write whatever book she wants. What she puts forth is a book that does not hold back on any of her unbearable pain. At times her pain is so excruciating that it is very uncomfortable to read. What is missing is the answers because she apparently doesn't have any. Also missing is any mention of the other people whose lives were taken in the accident. I wonder if this was possibly due to the round robin of lawsuits being played out in court. In fact hardly any mention of Diane herself is made although there is a powerful testament to the power of forgiveness by Jackie at Diane's grave at the end of the book . For the most part Jackie waxes on nostalgically about the wonderful parties she used to throw, the money she spent, and how much her life has lost meaning without her girls. One of Jackie's way to memorialize her girls and her love of God is to wear diamonds. I like her husbands tattoo way better. At times it is hard to identify with Jackie even though a mother's love for her children is a universal experience. It was especially harsh when she snapped at her husband to stop his nap and go back to work to make money for her. In the end the book is so watered down that the tragedy that happened that took the lives of her girls could have been really anything. Anyone looking for real insight into the accident should probably watch the HBO special or get another book. This book shared Jackie Hance's personal grieving process and it does end on a positive note. After going through hell, Jackie, her husband and their new baby Kacey see a real hope for the future. I don't know if the same can be said for Diane's husband or the lone survivor from the accident, her son. A truly painful story for all involved, I wish everyone peace.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm drawn to stories about human tragedy. I followed this story very closely in the news, and when I saw the mom had written a book about it I read it at the first chance.

There's no arguing Jackie Hance went through one of the worst things imaginable (and my very worst fear in life): outliving a child. Her THREE children died in a car wreck, along with their cousin and drunk aunt.

However, this book was pretty terrible. I found the mom to be an entitled, spoiled, rich WASP with little regard for others feelings. Her husband also lost three children for example, and she never addressed his grief, just her own. On page 179 she even says "and why wouldn't my husband ever see another point of view?" Excuse me lady, you've spend the last year and every page so far in his book making everything about YOU and you want to call your husband out for wanting some normalcy in his life? And she's a little loony (throwing birthday and first communion partied for her dead kids, to the point where she's renting out banquet halls...um, what? So inappropriate. Or yelling at her friend for having a Halloween party a year and a half after her children die. (by the way this woman had an impressive support system in place that most people realistically don't have!) Or yelling at her husband that he's related to his sister as if he could help that. ) which I could forgive her for because depression is such an awful thing and she is clearly struggling. However the book is her chance to walk us through her depression or healing and it seems to me she still needs help.

What really made me sad was there was a chance for her to get committed to psych and get the help she desperately needed, and instead her friends tell her to lie to the doctor, and even get heir doctor friend to call her and tell her to lie. What! So unethical!)

So, in short, no I wouldn't recommend this. But I am very sorry for the terrible tragedy.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won Jackie Hance's poignant story of the tragic death of her three daughters and its devastating after effect from Goodreads Giveaways. "I'll See You Again" is the story of Emma, Alyson, and Katie who die in a horrific accident that shatters the life of their grief-stricken parents. Torn apart by medical findings that incriminate Diane, Warren's sister as the cause of the accident, Jackie's marriage and their family's closeness begins to disintegrate. In prose and dialogue Jackie Hance candidly reveals her darkest hours, her isolation from her husband Warren, her struggle to keep her sanity as demons of suicide, unforgiveness, and hatred press in on her. I admire Jackie Hance for her courage in recounting memories of her daughters with such love, and her honesty in describing her thoughts and actions as she battles her demons. I admire Warren who desperately tries to hold in his pain and suffering as he struggles to help his wife and be the faithful and loving husband she needs. I admire Jackie and Warren's loyal family of friends who stand shoulder to shoulder with them through their anguish. Although much of the book deals with the dark days after the girls death, it does hold promise and hope; the promise of healing, of forgiveness, and hope for the future. Although Jackie loses faith in her religion for a time, God never leaves her side and in the end she and Warren are given a miracle called Kasey. I thought this book was remarkable and highly recommend it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautifully written story despite such a gut wrenching tragedy.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very difficult review to write because the book isn’t particularly well written, yet part of me wants to excuse that fact because no one should expect it to be. Jackie Hance is not an author; however, she is a mother who lost all three of her children in a horrific car accident, caused by her sister-in-law, Diane. A sister-in-law whom she’d never seen drinking or using drugs, yet this same woman crashed head on with a vehicle after driving 80 mph up the wrong side of a highway and, it’s later discovered, has twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system as well as traces of marijuana.

I cannot even begin to understand how Jackie felt, or feels. How do you go on after losing your three daughters under these circumstances? My heart aches for her. And yet… by the half-way point of the book, I felt like giving her a firm shake. As another GoodReads reviewer states so well:

"It is difficult to review the story without coming across as unsympathetic, however a little self-pity goes a long way and Ms. Hance indulges in nearly 288 pages of it."

This is a story that Jackie needed to tell, but it should have been edited down. A lot. Obviously people grieve in different ways and again, I stress that I can’t even imagine living through her pain, but after a while I actually began to dislike her. Her husband is a saint to stick by her despite the way she treated him. Her large circle of friends are incredible: they basically put their lives on hold for two years to nuture her, yet she feels the need to send a scathing text to one of them when she holds a Halloween party for her own children two years after the accident. Jackie seems to have had some mental health issues before the accident, and obviously the accident sent them into overdrive. I get that. But it’s very difficult to read about her treatment of others; her total disconnect from other people’s grieving; her shopping sprees; her constant blaming of herself for not protecting her children better… I feel guilty saying she comes off as unlikeable, but there it is. (A part of the problem may be that I listened to the book on CD and found her voice rather whiney. She also doesn’t read aloud very well; maybe reading the book would have been better. I’ll give her credit, though: if I were in her position I can’t imagine writing this book, let alone actually reading it aloud and reliving everything verbally for an audience.)

I was also a bit disappointed that we don’t learn more about Diane, or Diane’s husband and the one surviving son. That may be because of ongoing lawsuits but still, I thought there would be a little more information about them or the other victims’ family (the occupants of the other car were also killed).

Finally, finally near the end, after she has given birth to another baby, she slowly starts to find hope in life and in that regard the book has an uplifting message. But it’s a long, hard haul getting there.

[Jai · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me warn that this book is heavy read. Jackie's honesty was so profound and so painful that I found myself finding it difficult to read. Yet, the need to see that the this couple get some sort of happily ever after, pushed me to read it in a single day. Of course, after losing all three of their beautiful girls, happily ever after is simply an illusion. No matter how much they heal, the absence of Emma, Alyson and Katie will always be felt -how could it not? Through Jackie, we meet three little souls who quickly make people fall in love with them through their quick smiles, kind natures and playful innocence. Such people are bound to leave footprints on the hearts of those that knew them. Instead, I feel that the Hance's developed a way to survive, that recognizes their loss, but also allows them to celebrate the girls, and their new daughter, Kasey.
I hope with this book, the Bastardi's can also find the answers they seek. Too many lives were ripped apart by the actions of Diane Schular, and I hope, in time, the survivors find some small peace of mind. My only disgust is left at the feet of Diane, Danny and the lawyers that turn tragedies into business.

[Tinalouise · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, I read A LOT! A wide variety of books, non fiction and fiction alike. I had heard the story and a friend recommended this book to me. Honestly, it was a huge waste of time. I am a mother and I too love my children dearly. I cannot imagine the loss of one of them and all of them unfathomable. BUT this story came across as very me me me... Everyone should be fortunate enough to have friends in their lives who are so devoted. I really felt like she did NOT truly appreciate their friends and how much they were sacrificing to support them. She made it sound like she spent a lot of money to be a perfect mother and to give them perfect memories. Let's be honest, that isn't how life works. Money doesn't make a childhood perfect. I am so sorry for the loss of her children but her self pity is selfish. It seems like she wanted answers no one is prepared to give or can give. I hope she made a lot of money for their "Family foundation." When I read about how much she couldn't bear to be around those they were helping with this foundation, I had a deep sense of loathing for Jackie. In a lot of ways, I feel sorry for their new baby girl. She will never measure up to ghosts.

[Sharon Mcalister · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one should have to live through a tragedy like the one that befell Jackie and Warren Hance. The Hance's three young daughters were killed when their Aunt Diane drove the car they were riding in two miles the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway crashing into another car and killing the two people in that car. Eight people were killed in this crash. The only survivor was Diane's young son. The author recounts her suffering in great detail. Her suffering and, it seems, mostly hers alone. While it is her story, much is left out. I felt very sorry for her husband. It seems his grief is only incidental to her. The people killed in the other car - barely mentioned. Diane's husband - barely mentioned. How her nephew is faring - never mentioned. Jackie's grief and suicidal thoughts mentioned over and over again. I believe it would have served Mrs. Hance well to have waited a few more years before writing a book about this time in her life. Perhaps then, she will have a little more perspective.

[Miss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok -- I don't like rating someone's harrowing memoir but...there you have it.

The grief is raw, the self exposure seems unflinching but (and I feel like an animal saying this!) I didn't like the narrator. As the book went on I liked her less and less.

I'm sorry.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - it's a bit of a tense read this book, as I wasn't sure where we were going to end up. Jackie Hance is a young mother, who is spending the weekend with her husband, while her children go camping with her sister in-law. On the way home, all three of her daughers, her sister in-law and niece, as well as three people in the other car are killed in a horrific accident.

Jackies grief is just palpable in the writing, it made me feel all of her pain, which you can totally understand. She is lucky that she had such an awesome group of friends who surrounded her and her husband, to help them make it through each terrible day. How they coped is just amazing, and at times where it seemed to be impossible to go on further, they just made it day by day.

I always think when I read these stories, that as a society we often don't have rules for grieving. That maybe we should wear black for a year, take to our beds or cut our hair. That we are allowed to feel sad, to feel lost and unsure, and that we can begin to feel some hope again. I though, cannot even imagine the horror of losing such beautiful girls. How brave of Jackie to write this book, to help others.

[Barbara Sissel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a difficult story to read. The tragedy at its core is so heartrending. I'm not sure as a mother, I could imagine a worse nightmare, or as an author who writes fiction of a darker turn, I could write something so horrific i.e. even live with it on fictional terms. But Jackie Hance lived it for real. And the story she tells with the writing help of Janice Kaplan is absolutely incredible. Her loss and her husband's loss was so horrific and brutal, but they fought their way through it with such incredible courage, even when it was the ugliest, the darkest time. I was in awe, reading of her journey. For me, the truly amazing message comes from how they managed to begin healing from this terrible nightmare, how their love survived, how they managed to find a degree of peace and even of joy, and perhaps most miraculous and instructive to us all, how they found forgiveness.

I was deeply touched reading Jackie's story, and I was also gifted with the sense of her healing and her joy, a true miracle. Her girls live on in her remarkable spirit. As difficult as this story is to read, I highly recommend it.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was in the news a few years ago (The author's sister-in-law drives wrong way on Taconic Pkwy and kills herself, one of her children and her three nieces, plus 3 others...turns out she was way-out-of-character high/drunk).. and of course you think how can the mother of the 3 girls survive such a tragedy. This is the story of how she almost doesn't, but then does. It is not an easy read because of the topic, because it's true, and because it's told by the mom who lived it. But it's a good story of how she goes through the grieving process and comes out on the other side with hope and vision (her husband too). It is not a book that gives any answers to what happened; it's not intended to be that and from what I understand there still aren't (and probably never will be) answers as to why the aunt did what she did. Here is a link to a program in the girls' honor which sounds wonderful.. if the book is too much for you to read, check out "Beautiful Me" http://www.hancefamilyfoundation.org/...

[Elina Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I don't know if it was me being nosey or what, but I always wondered what happened to all the families affected by this horrific tragedy. I couldn't wait for this book to come out and I bought it immediately and read it in two days. I felt so bad for Jackie and Warren throughout the whole book and I also grieved the little precious girls who I felt like I met through this beautiful memoir. Jackie is a devoted mother who will never be the same but luckily ended up being a stronger woman, wife and again a mother to her precious angels in heaven as well as her youngest daughter Kasey. God bless her and her family. Thank you Jackie for giving us a piece of your life, your daughters and your heart. It is greatly appreciated.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have the same complaints as most of the other critical reviews. Otherwise, I have to say I totally expected the author to have some big religious awakening before the end. I was surprised to see the book end with her statement of Stoic wisdom. "I knew better than anyone how little influence we have over the direction our lives take. Whether you call it destiny or fate or the randomness of the universe, some things happen for reasons we can't begin to understand. Trying to exert control over the events of our lives is ultimately a fool's game. All we can truly master is our own responses." I like that.

[kayli · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This was so incredibly heartbreaking.

[Tracy Lackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kept putting off reading this for the sheer sadness of it,but I'm glad I finally did. A great read with a lot of good lessons and reflections on life and family, I found it more inspiring than depressing. Sure, it was sad; yes, I definitely cried intermittently throughout the book; but I can't deny that I appreciate every day with my daughter more now that I understand that the Hances were just like any other family, and tragedy can befall anyone at any time.

It was definitely clear that Jackie Hance did not write this book on her own; but there was a certain rawness that could only have come from someone who's felt loss like hers. She didn't go into the investigation into the crash, or even very much on her anger at her sister-in-law Diane Schuler, but that's fine because it wasn't what I was looking for anyway. I had read some other reviews where readers thought that Jackie Hance came off as self-indulgent and conceited, and can maybe see where that comes from: her girls were the most beautiful, the best children, so good and polite and well-behaved, she had been such a great mother, she was a great cook and everyone loved the food she made for her catering business, the girls clothes were pretty, her clothes were pretty, her food presentation was pretty, her house was pretty, etc. You have to be willing to look past all that though because the general insight she has is well documented. You feel like you are watching the Hances struggle through every day since their daughters' accident, and you feel triumphant when she gets through every day without killing herself to be with her daughters.

[Rosabelle]

This was a hard book to read. Based on the title, I was really anticipating something more hopeful than what I read. The entire book chronicles her grief in tedious detail--to the exclusion of all others (including her husband). I was thinking at the very least by the end of the book she would express remorse over her abusive treatment towards her husband, but Mrs. Hance came across as seeming as though she was entitled to behave in atrocious ways towards those around her for years. She treated her dead children as get out of jail free cards for her terrible behavior. I was rather shocked by that. I was also confused as to the point of the book. The title made it seem as though it would be a memoir pointing to her healing and hope in seeing her daughters again, but in the end Mrs. Hance reveals that she isn't sure there is a heaven. Ultimately the reader is also given the impression that Mr. and Mrs. Hance's youngest daughter is growing up in the shadow of her perfect and deceased older siblings.

Mr. and Mrs. Hance experienced first hand the worst nightmare most of us can imagine, but I'm really not sure why this book was published. I would think those close to Mrs. Hance would have revealed to her that the chronicling of her life and thoughts during those years is bleak and made her appear significantly self-focused and unkind to those around her (esp. her husband, who was also reeling in grief). I have deepest sympathy for the families who experienced this tragedy, but I cannot recommend this book to others.

[Cynthia Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time I read about this story in PEOPLE magazine, I was both stunned and heartbroken. An Aunt took her nieces on a weekend camping trip and the most tragic of accidents had happened leaving nine people dead and a mother with no more children. I couldn't even begin to understand the devastation Mrs. Hance must have been feeling.

Then, a few years later HBO released the documentary, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUNT DIANE. I watched that entire documentary with tears flooding down my face. But America was still left with so many unanswered questions. What happened with Diane that day to make her do what she did. Could anyone have stopped her? And more importantly, how in the world is Jackie Hance? Well since the Hance's declined to be filmed, I had no answers. So when I learned there was a book published sharing her side of things, I had to read it.

It was utterly heartbreaking. I don't know what I expected. Mrs. Hance lost all three of her daughters, of course the loss almost made her insane. Of course her husband was tossing bedroom furniture out the window at three o'clock in the morning. There was an unmanageable amount of grief in their lives. I honestly don't know how they managed to stay together through it all and despite the darkness of the story, I do hope they truly found the happiness they wanted to recreate so badly with Kasey. This is one family that has been in my thoughts and prayers since day one and I really do wish them the happiness and peace they deserve.

[Mary Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I had read the reviews prior to picking up the audio version of this book. Frankly, I picked it up because of the picture of the three adorable girls on the cover. The title did give me a clue about what the book would be about but it did not prepare me for Jackie Hance.

I cannot imagine the grief and heartache she and her husband experienced over the loss of their three daughters. However, from the book I gather that not only did her husband lose his three daughters but he lost his wife as well. Her constant shopping and crying crying and s hopping would have driven me over the edge. "For years he asked for hugs, but I couldn't give them to him." Warren is a true saint as are her friends.

As one review said, I came to not like Jackie Hance very much at all but loved her husband and her friends. They are the true heroes of the book.

Again, I can't imagine her grief but she did little to help herself -- no volunteering, no getting a job, just spending money on gifts she would leave in the cemetery or hide in her closet. Having huge birthday parties for her lost angels seemed strange to me. I would prefer to celebrate those days privately with my husband.

I truly hope she has moved on since the accident and can lovingly remember her daughters without driving those around her crazy.

[Lesli Kraft · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book and maybe expected it to be a little different than it was. Without sounding cruel or cold hearted I found it to get a little irritating about half way through. This book does explain the accident and gives you glimpses into the 3 sisters backgrounds but otherwise it is just a long dragged out story about how the mother reacted. My irritation with the book was solely due to how Jackie Hance continued on with the poor me and no other person has ever had anything bad happen like her feelings. This book was nothing but her feeling sorry for herself and how she wished she could just commit suicide to be with her girls but always finding reasons not to. I understand the pain and heartbreak from losing loved ones and don't want to sound heartless but it made the book get old fast. I am a firm believer about finishing a book when I start it no matter how bad. I wish this book had been half as long. In my honest opinion she should have put more into the book about all the foundations, organizations and scholarship funds that have been set up since this tragedy. It does cover this but not to the depth it should have. While it is tragic what happened good things have been established since that deserve recognition.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars - Really good. First of all I don't know how the mom got through this tragedy at all. Losing three kids at once is unfathomable. Secondly, I don't know if I could stay married to my husband if his sister killed all of my kids because she was drunk/high. I know it wouldn't be his fault, but it would be hard to deal with. I commend her for getting through it and making their relationship work.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please read Jill's review which I just "liked". I have empathy for Ms. Hance and all she endured. That said, this is not a book I would recommend. This was given to me by my mom. She disliked the book, but somehow thought I would "enjoy the psychology behind it". Ummm...nope. I honestly think she just wanted it out of her house and since she was getting rid of stuff she gave this to me. Seriously.