The Rising by Ryan D’Agostino is book about Dr. William Petit, who suffered the loss of his family in 2007. I sat and cried many times while reading this book. The despair and details were overwhelming.
Two men break into a home in the middle of the night. Dr. Petit beaten with a bat and left for dead, his family-wife and 2 girls enduring hours of torture before being killed. The house was doused with gasoline and burned down, the girls still alive when the fire started. Dr. Petit managed to escape out of the basement where he was tied together and made his way to his neighbors for help. He could not save them, he barely managed to save himself.
Ryan D’Agostino captured such a complete picture of The Petit Case. The book is not only about the case, murders and trial. The background story of the family makes you feel as if you know this man, Dr. Petit, you will definitely share in his sorrow and delight with his new beginnings.
After reading about the murders and how Dr. Petit lost everything, I wondered–What is he doing now? How can someone rise up after this? Thankfully, this book is not just sadness and sorrow. Ryan D’Agostino tells us how Dr. Petit chose to make the memories of his family positive. There is a foundation dedicated to helping in others in memory of the girls, he inspired countless people all around the world! Kids would send letters to Dr. Petit with checks inside, instead of birthday presents they asked for donations to give to his foundation. All of the generosity poured in to the Petit family and they poured it back out with their foundation helping with scholarships, shelters and various other organizations.
Dr. Petit eventually remarried and had a baby boy! I think reading about his life as a new dad again was the best part of this book. He lost the most sacred part of life, his family, but through it all he was able to re-establish life, love and happiness. This was a truly inspiring must-read book!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com
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