Murder changed their lives. Yet courage, hope, compassion, and forgiveness changed their perspective.

In 2005, newlyweds Marcy and Jeremy woke up to the brutal murder of his mother, Mary Ann Larsen-Pusey, by his father, Clinton Pusey—they'd been sleeping just down the hall. 

That morning was a shock to everyone, including Clinton. He had no memory of that morning, except for a few random, seemingly unimportant tasks he accomplished. 

Marcy and Jeremy suddenly lost both parents at once—one to death and the other to dementia and the criminal system. 

While We Slept helps us understand the devastating effects of mental illness and how a well-respected university professor can murder a loved one without ever intending to cause harm. 

This book offers a beacon of hope. It inspires us to have the courage to work through grief, anger, loss, confusion, disappointment, fear, shock, resentment, and the pain of having life suddenly change without warning. It helps us learn to change our perspectives and soften our judgments. 

This book illustrates that humans and human emotions are complex and that at the core, all of us wish to maintain our dignity and be treated with compassion. 

While We Slept is the story of a mind-boggling murder, but also shows us how to find courage in trauma, forgiveness in devastation, and triumph after heartbreak.

*The print book edition contains news articles, used with permission.