When Allan Richards boarded a plane to New Zealand at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he knew time was running out. His mother was dying. He also knew he’d face two weeks of government-mandated quarantine before he could reach her, but the reality of that isolation proved harder than he ever imagined. Her Son’s Love is a tender, heart-wrenching account of those fourteen days, drawn from diary entries and later reflections. It traces the raw terrain of hope and helplessness, the weight of love and loss, and the healing of returning home. Woven through the narrative are links to piano pieces composed and performed by the author, each highlighting emotional turns of the story. Set against the backdrop of a world shut down, this honest memoir speaks to anyone who has suffered the heartbreak of separation, and honours the bonds of love that endure beyond it.
