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Time to Fly: Life and Love After Loss
Reality, as Eileen Robertson Hamra perceived it, instantaneously altered the moment authorities confirmed that the plane her husband was piloting had crashed, and he had not survived.
In the process of mourning her loss, with three young children in tow, where Eileen wandered and landed was nothing short of miraculous. Between the valleys of grief and the peaks of hope, she discovered that keeping promises to the dead is a lifelong act, and honoring one love does not mean foregoing the freedom and joy that is found in reopening your heart, trusting in new love, and expanding your definition of family.
Three days before Christmas 2011 and just two miles from her parents’ home, Eileen Roberston Hamra’s husband, Brian, died alone, flying his own airplane. Overnight, Eileen lost the man she loved, and her three young children lost their father. Brian’s parents lost their son, his younger sister lost her big brother, and hundreds of people working across the globe in the tech and solar energy industries lost their mentor, their leader, their guide. Al Gore sent his condolences.
After holding bicoastal celebrations of Brian’s life, for weeks, months, a year, Eileen and her children wrapped themselves in his clothing, and cocooned. Each night, under the balmy black-blue skies of Southern California, they cried, hugged, and pressed forward in ways they knew Brian would have wanted them to. Through the rollercoaster ride of loss and mourning, they were buoyed by friends, teachers, strangers, angels, and of course, family.
Despite the dark sense of having been gutted, in fact because of the shadowy pangs of emptiness she experienced, Eileen learned new ways in which to shine a light and make her way toward feeling whole again. She transformed longing and loneliness into wisdom and wonder. She became more patient, compassionate, balanced, joyful, and loving than she had ever thought possible.
Time to Fly is the story of how one woman chose to view the tragedy of her husband’s death as an opportunity to strengthen the bond with her children, and to wake up to her life’s purpose. It is one woman’s high-flying and turbulent journey to taking full possession of her potential by breaking beyond what she thought she would, should, and could do.
Eileen Robertson Hamra moved through grief toward healing via a tough and magical spiritual awakening. Making a series of conscious choices and paying attention to a string of “coincidences” and otherworldly signs, she eventually met another wonderful man, Mike. They fell in love, got married, and set a well-respected IVF clinic record by giving birth to a miracle child when Eileen was forty-six years old.
Time to Fly is a memoir not only for the bereaved and those who support them, but for anyone who believes in the power of finding the silver lining in the darkest of situations and holding on to that sliver of light, in order to turn things around. We do not have complete control over our limited time on this remarkable planet, and so in the time we do have, we must hold one another, build softness alongside resilience, and write our own flight plan.
In the process of mourning her loss, with three young children in tow, where Eileen wandered and landed was nothing short of miraculous. Between the valleys of grief and the peaks of hope, she discovered that keeping promises to the dead is a lifelong act, and honoring one love does not mean foregoing the freedom and joy that is found in reopening your heart, trusting in new love, and expanding your definition of family.
Three days before Christmas 2011 and just two miles from her parents’ home, Eileen Roberston Hamra’s husband, Brian, died alone, flying his own airplane. Overnight, Eileen lost the man she loved, and her three young children lost their father. Brian’s parents lost their son, his younger sister lost her big brother, and hundreds of people working across the globe in the tech and solar energy industries lost their mentor, their leader, their guide. Al Gore sent his condolences.
After holding bicoastal celebrations of Brian’s life, for weeks, months, a year, Eileen and her children wrapped themselves in his clothing, and cocooned. Each night, under the balmy black-blue skies of Southern California, they cried, hugged, and pressed forward in ways they knew Brian would have wanted them to. Through the rollercoaster ride of loss and mourning, they were buoyed by friends, teachers, strangers, angels, and of course, family.
Despite the dark sense of having been gutted, in fact because of the shadowy pangs of emptiness she experienced, Eileen learned new ways in which to shine a light and make her way toward feeling whole again. She transformed longing and loneliness into wisdom and wonder. She became more patient, compassionate, balanced, joyful, and loving than she had ever thought possible.
Time to Fly is the story of how one woman chose to view the tragedy of her husband’s death as an opportunity to strengthen the bond with her children, and to wake up to her life’s purpose. It is one woman’s high-flying and turbulent journey to taking full possession of her potential by breaking beyond what she thought she would, should, and could do.
Eileen Robertson Hamra moved through grief toward healing via a tough and magical spiritual awakening. Making a series of conscious choices and paying attention to a string of “coincidences” and otherworldly signs, she eventually met another wonderful man, Mike. They fell in love, got married, and set a well-respected IVF clinic record by giving birth to a miracle child when Eileen was forty-six years old.
Time to Fly is a memoir not only for the bereaved and those who support them, but for anyone who believes in the power of finding the silver lining in the darkest of situations and holding on to that sliver of light, in order to turn things around. We do not have complete control over our limited time on this remarkable planet, and so in the time we do have, we must hold one another, build softness alongside resilience, and write our own flight plan.
224 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2020
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 20, 2023
This is my first text review of a book on Goodreads. I read this book in two sittings of a couple hours each and couldn’t put it down. Was it the best written, most action-packed, gripping, and structured book I’ve ever read? Absolutely not. But it doesn’t have to be to earn a five-star review from me. Her story is her story and that’s all that matters.
I was fortunate enough to meet Eileen (and Mike) at a wedding in L.A. this past weekend. One of my close friends was marrying Brynn, the babysitter referenced in this book. My wife and I were seated at Eileen’s table and were the odd couple out in not knowing anyone at the table. I didn’t have a clue that Eileen was an author or went through what she went through, or that our friend Brynn was connected to these people and their story.
We were immediately drawn in by Eileen and Mike. Their energy was incredible, and they made us feel welcomed at the table. We live in Chicago, and they lived there and got married there. They are a franchise owner of the Panera by our house that we frequent. We had a lot to talk about.
The more we got to know them, and with others at the table knowing their story, this book came up as a topic. I was devasted for Eileen and her family. I also didn’t share with them, but I have an intense fear of flying that I put a lot of work in, just to make the flight from Chicago to L.A. for the wedding. Hearing her first husband had died in a plane crash was so sad and also surreal. What are the chances that I finally get back on a plane, and sit next to this woman and hear this tragic story about one of my greatest fears? I think there was some fate in getting to meet Eileen. As scared as I was to fly back home, I thought of Eileen and her story and somehow felt positive and okay. She’s been through way worse tragedy and taken on new risks, so I need to face my fears too and live a happy life like she’s been able to.
With her positivity and full-of-life attitude she had the whole evening, I knew I had to read the book to understand how she is who she is. How can someone who has faced such loss end up okay? Reading this was so eye opening to the struggles and ups-and-downs someone can go through with loss. I mostly read fiction (fantasy and mystery novels), so reading this was very different for me. We need more of these type of stories for those going through these types of difficulties in life. She put her heart and soul into this novel and let it all out in her own way. She even encouraged my wife and I to consider writing and getting things on paper, even if it’s just for us. Eileen is a wonderful human, as is Mike, and I can see why they ended up together in such a short time of meeting them. I wish them the best and loved hearing their story.
I was fortunate enough to meet Eileen (and Mike) at a wedding in L.A. this past weekend. One of my close friends was marrying Brynn, the babysitter referenced in this book. My wife and I were seated at Eileen’s table and were the odd couple out in not knowing anyone at the table. I didn’t have a clue that Eileen was an author or went through what she went through, or that our friend Brynn was connected to these people and their story.
We were immediately drawn in by Eileen and Mike. Their energy was incredible, and they made us feel welcomed at the table. We live in Chicago, and they lived there and got married there. They are a franchise owner of the Panera by our house that we frequent. We had a lot to talk about.
The more we got to know them, and with others at the table knowing their story, this book came up as a topic. I was devasted for Eileen and her family. I also didn’t share with them, but I have an intense fear of flying that I put a lot of work in, just to make the flight from Chicago to L.A. for the wedding. Hearing her first husband had died in a plane crash was so sad and also surreal. What are the chances that I finally get back on a plane, and sit next to this woman and hear this tragic story about one of my greatest fears? I think there was some fate in getting to meet Eileen. As scared as I was to fly back home, I thought of Eileen and her story and somehow felt positive and okay. She’s been through way worse tragedy and taken on new risks, so I need to face my fears too and live a happy life like she’s been able to.
With her positivity and full-of-life attitude she had the whole evening, I knew I had to read the book to understand how she is who she is. How can someone who has faced such loss end up okay? Reading this was so eye opening to the struggles and ups-and-downs someone can go through with loss. I mostly read fiction (fantasy and mystery novels), so reading this was very different for me. We need more of these type of stories for those going through these types of difficulties in life. She put her heart and soul into this novel and let it all out in her own way. She even encouraged my wife and I to consider writing and getting things on paper, even if it’s just for us. Eileen is a wonderful human, as is Mike, and I can see why they ended up together in such a short time of meeting them. I wish them the best and loved hearing their story.
July 30, 2020
I finished the book in 3 days. I’ve cried or teared up no less 100 times. This book is powerful and moving and motivating and hopeful. I’ve never experienced the type of loss Eileen has but I’ve had plenty of different losses in my life that this resonated with so deeply. This really is about family, about love, about the realness of pain and tragedy.
As a prior Licensed Professional Counselor I would recommend this book to any of my past clients that had struggled with moving forward from tragedy, loss, or grief.
Thank you Eileen. The world needs this. I needed it!
As a prior Licensed Professional Counselor I would recommend this book to any of my past clients that had struggled with moving forward from tragedy, loss, or grief.
Thank you Eileen. The world needs this. I needed it!
May 6, 2020
I read this beautiful book on the anniversary of a loss of a loved one. Eileen's story is incredibly moving and delivered with elegant flair through words that inspire sadness, humor, introspection and hope. While I cannot compare my own loss to that of the author, I found great comfort in this elegant, poignant story about moving forward and rediscovering joy after experiencing profound loss. This is a lovely, uplifting book to savor.
May 8, 2020
Eileen’s book is raw and real. She pulls us into her disbelief, her grief, and her determination to persevere after the losses of her husband and her sister. Eileen’s tenacity of love comes through the pages, and her tenacity of hope will have you closing your eyes in gratitude for her honest and generous story.
June 27, 2020
Such a joy to read this book. It’s an easy read, you flip through pages because you want to know more each time. A true story, a true story about how the author dealt with grief in her life. The different things and ways she used to try to heal herself and her family. Great ending that leaves you wanting to read more to know how they are doing now.
June 27, 2020
I met Eileen when we both happened to be vacationing at the same spot in Arkansas with our families. What a delight to read her story in the pages of this book! She has lived life to its fullest, in spite of the incredible challenges she's had along the way, and has a clear desire to help others do the same. Thanks for sharing with me, Eileen! ❤
May 11, 2020
A touching, authentic account of the author and her family's process of grieving the loss of her husband in a tragic accident, honoring him and moving forward with life. If you or anyone you know has experienced a similar loss, you may benefit from her inspirational journey and words of wisdom.
February 18, 2026
Thanks to the author for an inspirational and honest account of living with loss and embracing newness. I am happy that I came across this Southwest Missouri author’s work and have been blessed by reading it.
December 15, 2025
extremely inspirational. highly recommend for anyone who has lost a loved one and is in the grieving process!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews