E756 - Lynda Fishman - Repairing Rainbows - At 13 A Plane Crash Took Her Mother and Two Sisters - Finding The Tools to Move Forward After A Tragic Loss

EPISODE 756 - Lynda Fishman - Repairing Rainbows - At 13 A Plane Crash Took Her Mother and Two Sisters - Finding The Tools to Move Forward After A Tragic LossIn this heartfelt episode, author and therapist Lynda Fishman joins host Dave to share the story behind her powerful memoir Repairing Rainbows. Speaking from Toronto, Lynda reflects on the life-changing tragedy that shaped her journey: at only thirteen, she lost her mother and two younger sisters in an Air Canada plane crash, an unimaginable event that forced her to grow up in the shadow of grief and rediscover meaning in life.Lynda recalls writing her book decades after the tragedy, leaning on the diaries and scrapbooks she kept as a young girl. The process was painful yet cathartic, allowing her to revisit the darkness she had long suppressed. She decided early on to tune out those who told her she couldn’t write her story and focus instead on encouraging voices that reminded her she could—and should—share it to help others find hope after loss.Her first thirteen years, she explains, provided the foundation for the resilience she would later need. Growing up in a loving, noisy home with a devoted mother taught her the values of family, gratitude, and compassion. Those early lessons guided her choices as she rebuilt her life, pursued a career in social work, and dedicated decades to helping others cope with grief and change.Lynda paints a vivid picture of what it meant to be thirteen and suddenly alone—the shock, the endless procession of mourners, and the silence that followed when they left. She found solace in small rituals, like polishing the sink with Ajax, a simple act that made her feel close to her mother. Through it all, gratitude became her anchor. Volunteering, staying busy, and later forming a loving marriage helped her transform unimaginable pain into a life of purpose.In Repairing Rainbows, Lynda and her husband, who also endured loss at a young age, share lessons learned through four decades of healing. The book is not about tragedy—it is about choice. Readers around the world have found comfort in its message: that grief and joy can coexist, and that moving forward is not betrayal but necessity.She describes how connections with a medium later reinforced her belief that life continues beyond loss, offering peace and closure she hadn’t allowed herself to feel before. Throughout her journey, Lynda has remained committed to helping others discover the same sense of possibility and gratitude that lifted her beyond despair.Key Takeaway: Even in the darkest chapters, it is possible to rewrite your story through gratitude, compassion, and choice. As Lynda reminds us, loss can define you—or it can refine you. The decision to move forward and embrace joy is the ultimate act of healing.https://repairingrainbows.com/A True Story of Family, Tragedy, and ChoicesAt thirteen years old, Lynda’s life comes to a disastrous halt when her mother and two younger sisters are killed in a plane crash. Her father, overcome by despair, simply continues to exist, in a state devoid of hope. After burying a wife and two young children at the age of 44, the overwhelming responsibility of raising a daughter alone completely immobilizes him.Teetering on that tender brink between childhood and adolescence, Lynda faces the responsibility of a father in a complete state of shock, a house to take care of and hundreds of decisions about how to proceed with their shattered lives.In Repairing Rainbows she candidly describes the agonizing memories, deafening silence and endless hardships that are the fallout of incredible loss. As we follow her through marriage, motherhood and her own spiritual journey, Lynda reveals her complex feelings of hope, anger, pity and determination. Most importantly, she learns the crucial difference between “truly living” and the existence that is so often mistaken for being alive.A true story, written by a woman whose normal and abundant life hides a terrible past, Repairing Rainbows is loaded with important lessons to help others overcome struggles and obstacles, and fulfill their lives. It is a powerful, captivating, riveting and easy-to-read story that will undoubtedly touch the hearts of its readers.Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca