Last Alive

Coming in November 2026

The inexplicable death of Leon’s wife, Emma, leaves him with doubts about life’s meaning. He is persuaded to create a roadside memorial at the site where she was last alive. He sits on a folding chair beside that memorial every day while others worry about how he will make it through his loss and find life on the other side. This is a story that affirms life in the face sudden, tragic loss.

Leon is a retired newspaper editor with a deep cynical streak. Emma is a retired high school teacher who is the steady hand. They are both seventy-years-old. Emma’s startling death will leave many unanswered questions.

Janene is their daughter, an emergency room nurse who has always been closer to her mother than her father. Struggling with grief, she loses her job.

Kendall, was abandoned infant adopted by Andy. Now he is an awkward eleven-year-old who has few friends, is often bullied, and spends most of his time with his Pokémon cards. He holds the key to what happened to Emma. Andy resists revealing the truth.

Griffin, former dentist, is Leon's best friend. He is a shell of his former self and is addicted to nitrous oxide. He wife and infant daughter left decades ago due to his abusive behavior. He is shocked when his long-lost daughter, Natalie, now in her forties, comes knocking at his door with questions about what really happened and why.

Calvin, a hermit with loss issues of his own, convinces Leon to make a memorial to his wife on the roadside where she was last alive.