In Honor of

A couple weekends ago, I had the opportunity to meet the amazing and inspirational Julie Burget Schrock at a local author event.

My oldest son and I made an instant connection to her. I was drawn to her friendliness and immediately admired her strength and courage.

Julie's book Missing Max, Finding Hope After My Marine Son's Death, is a compelling story of her journey as she recalls the extraordinary events surrounding the death of her Marine son, Corporal Max W. Donahue.

 
(photo courtesy of Julie Burget Schrock, Missing Max)

Corporal Max W. Donahue was a Military Dog Handler for the Marines. In her book, Julie describes Max as outgoing and charismatic. He was someone who stood up for others, always, and was never afraid to fight for what was right.

Max was killed in Afghanistan in August of 2010, and his death is a loss to us all. Those who value their freedom know that it comes at a cost. Max sacrificed everything to protect our freedom. Max is a hero. I stand to honor him. I stand to honor all of those who have and are fighting for our freedom.

I can't tell you how great it was to meet Julie. I was very moved and inspired by her and her story. Missing Max is an amazing book. I read it, some parts two or three times, and felt every emotion she shared. Julie is an extraordinary person, and I am so blessed to have met her. I will never forget her story and what it has meant to me. I will never forget Max.

Missing Max, Finding Hope After My Marine Son's Death by Julie Burget Schrock


Missing Max is a compelling story of one mother's journey as she recalls the extraordinary events surrounding the death of her Marine son, Corporal Max W. Donahue. On August 4, 2010, Max lost both legs and his right arm after being hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), and then succumbed to his wounds on August 7. Julie takes us with her as she first gets word of Max's injuries received while he was a working dog handler in Afghanistan. You will share her despair, fears, tears and finally, her hope as she moves through the days, weeks and months following word of Max's injury, and then his death. Missing Max is a must-read for anyone who has lost a child to war. It will encourage the reader to live a life that is focused on making their lost loved-one proud. She writes of moving through the grieving process and, through her faith and the love of family and friends, begins the healing process and going forward with her life. Julie challenges the reader to examine their thoughts on the afterlife, as well as their faith. Questions are posed such as, "What do you believe happens at death," "Where would you turn for strength in the case a loved one died," and "What are your thoughts about Jesus?" Knowing the answers for herself have had a profound effect on her ability to move forward. Julie's hope in writing Max's story is that it will provide strength, hope, courage and faith to those who need it. And she hopes that Max, and all fallen soldiers, will never be forgotten.

Julie Burget Schrock has experience and training in a variety of fields, none of which are traditional qualifications for writing a book. What qualifies her to write THIS book are her experiences as a mother of a Marine son deployed to and killed in Afghanistan. On that topic she is a subject matter expert.

You can reach Julie at missingmax2011@gmail.com
You can order Missing Max at amazon.com and from Advantage books.