The Million Stages of Grief

by Michael Reed

On November 28, 2016, tragedy struck East Tennessee when a massive wildfire left the confines of The Great Smoky National Park and engulfed the city of Gatlinburg. Within minutes, 2,500 structures were destroyed and 14 lives were lost. Of the souls lost that night, Michael Reed tragically lost his wife, Constance, and both of his daughters, Chloe and Lily. This award-winning book is his journey through the stages of grief. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, he beautifully blends his pain with words of encouragement, guidance, and support to help people who have also experienced trauma or loss in their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2025

About the author

On November 28, 2016, I lost my wife and both of my daughters in the wildfire that consumed Gatlinburg, Tennessee. As I have stumbled and crawled down this unstable, broken road of grief, I have learned many lessons along the way. I have learned that trauma, pain, loss, and grief are universal, almost like a mutually understood, unspoken language. Regardless of who you lost, whether it be a parent, friend, spouse, child, grandparent, mentor, or even a beloved pet, the feelings associated with losing someone you love can change your life forever. Whether you lost someone 20 years ago or 20 minutes ago, these shared feelings of hurt, sorrow, and emptiness can ultimately have the ability to help us heal. There is a purpose for our pain, and I believe my purpose is to share my story and my experiences to help other people going through similar loss, trauma, or grief. No matter where you are on your journey, I promise you are never alone.

Reviews

[J.E. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lifeline for Anyone Navigating Grief

I especially loved the section about using and focusing on the five senses to cope with grief—it’s practical, gentle, and so grounding. For me, music is the sense I lean on most; the right song helps me breathe when the darkness feels heavy. Compassionate and real, this book offers small, steady steps toward healing after loss or trauma

[IngramSpark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title was selected for IngramSpark's Indie Title Discovery Spotlight 2025!

A vulnerable, insightful, and comforting exploration of grief. An absolute must-read for anyone navigating the long healing journey through trauma and loss.

[Taylor Kwon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so helpful. I recommend it to everyone, not just those going through grief. Having gone through a lot of different griefs in my life, I understand many parts of this. I remember when this happened and hearing it on the news. I live only 3 hours away from Gatlinburg so it hit home in a way. Michael really did a good job with this and expressing his raw emotions. I can't imagine how I would have felt or handled this. Grief is such a hard thing to talk about. No one knows exactly what you're going through. Thank you for expressing your raw emotions in your story, Michael.