We first met Eric Schlueter in June of 2023. He reached out to Jack’s soon after his wife, Melissa—his childhood sweetheart and best friend—passed away. Eric intentionally leaned into his grief, knowing that this time, the healing process had to be about him.
Like many caregivers, Eric had set aside his own life and plans, holding onto the hope that someday things would return to enough normalcy for him to finally catch his breath. And like so many facing this profound type of loss, he was initially left searching for a renewed sense of purpose.
Eric soon became a regular fixture at our Sequel Maker Klatches (and still is today). In our monthly meetings, he consistently offers more than he receives, bringing just as much sharp humor as he does deep wisdom to the group.
Eric understood that his "Sequel" would take time to shape. He also recognized a hard truth: he needed to experience relative solitude for the first time in his life. Grieving of this magnitude is a lonely task, and he was wise enough to know that no one else could distract or save him from it. It was a tall order for a guy who had spent almost no time by himself.
He read books on loss, attended support groups, and reached out when he needed a lift. Then, not unlike a lot of the guys we know... one day, he finally set that enormous weight down. He sold the home of 25 years that held so many conflicting memories, bought a new house, and parted with half of his possessions.
Life began to open up again. Eric met Shelly at a grief group, discovering that, as he beautifully puts it, "...her broken pieces fit my broken pieces."
Today, Eric is moving forward with a renewed outlook: "I've entered my next chapter and am now the author of my sequel."