Publisher's Synopsis
My Dad always told me, "Son, I'm going to light your first cigarette, pour your first drink, and buy you your first car!" He never did any of those things. In fact, my father did very little for me when I was growing up. Enter the man who flew across the sky in a red cape and came to my rescue. I didn't know that Superman's real alter ego was my father's older brother, my Uncle Robert!
The Greatest Father Who Never Was is the story of a boy and his uncle. It is the story of a boy whose own father was unable to meet the demands of fatherhood because bars, booze, and seedy motels held a greater power over him than mere love for his son. It is a story that chronicles the fifty-six year journey of the boy called Tump as he grows up under the protection of his Uncle Robert's red cape. It is a story that chronicles Uncle Robert's journey from his World War Two service in the U.S. Navy to his super-feats for his nephew to his crippling exposure to and on-going battle with his own kryptonite called Alzheimer's Disease. It is a story of the boy, who as a man, now dons his aging uncle's red cape and helps him battle the dreaded Alzheimer's Disease. Together, the boy and his uncle, navigate their way through the twisting tunnels of dementia that robs Uncle Robert of his memory, abilities, and independence. It is a story that finds the nephew striving with all his might to ensure his uncle maintains his dignity, good humor, and humanity in the face of Alzheimer's relentless assault. It is a story tailor-made for dysfunctional families, fatherless kids, and childless relatives. It is a story for those battling the increasing and dreaded spectra of Dementia and Alzheimer's that is ravaging America's aging population. It is a story of a boy and his uncle that is filled with love, laughter, fun, and tears. It is a story of an uncle's love for his nephew and the nephew's undying love for his uncle. It is a story not yet ended!
