Aloha Is Forever Marks 15 Years of Offering Comfort and Guidance to Those Navigating Loss
(Aloha is Forever)
Aloha Is Forever: Finding Hope in the Midst of Despair by Rick and Sharon Reece marks 15 years of offering comfort, perspective, and practical guidance to readers navigating deep loss. Crafted from the Reeces’ desire to help others move forward, the book has served as a companion for those facing bereavement and other life-changing separations.
Aloha Is Forever traces the Reece family’s journey beginning in 1999, when their son John did not return from a hike in Hawaii. What unfolds is a deeply human story of loss, resilience, and the enduring search for answers.
The narrative focuses on the family’s immediate response, the coordinated search efforts, and the emotional terrain shaped by uncertainty. Interwoven throughout are raw, heartfelt messages the Reeces shared with their community, seeking support and prayer. These firsthand correspondences offer an intimate window into real-time grief and the power of collective care.
Sharon frames the book as both memoir and guide. “We started writing to make sense of a loss that changed everything for our family. But besides telling the story, we want to share what helped us take steps forward,” she says.
Before writing Aloha Is Forever, Rick and Sharon spent years leading small groups and weekend retreats centered on family resilience and emotional healing. The insights and empathy they gained through those experiences shaped the book’s compassionate tone and the practical approaches it offers to readers navigating profound emotional pain, such as the loss of a child, the end of a marriage, or other deeply traumatic life events.
(Sharon and Rick Reece)
“Grief asks us not to forget, but to find a steady place from which to continue,” Sharon says. Aloha Is Forever captures her belief that one can make intentional choices even in painful seasons. She adds, “Choosing to have faith in the midst of despair did not erase our sorrow. It gave us a direction to move toward when movement felt impossible.”
Rather than presenting definitive answers, the book encourages introspection through open-ended prompts and gentle invitations to explore meaning. Its structure allows readers to engage at their own pace, returning to passages as needed, and finding resonance in the quiet moments between the lines. The Reeces’ approach honors the individuality of grief, recognizing that for many, healing may begin with simply being seen and heard.
Translated editions are in development to extend the book’s reach, with Portuguese and Spanish versions in progress. The Reeces have continued to return to Hawaii over the years, engaging in private practices of reflection for the land and its people. These visits inform a forthcoming volume titled The Four Tsunamis, which explores the spiritual heritage of the islands and Sharon’s own discoveries about early Hawaiian reverence and ritual.
Marking its 15th year in print, Aloha Is Forever is presented again as a companion for those carrying heavy losses and a guide born from experience and compassion. The book’s tone remains intent on providing practical, faith-rooted encouragement and on honoring the Reeces’ ongoing journey toward meaning and memory.
Media Contact
Name: Sharon Reece
Email: sharon@sharonandrick.com
Published by: Pathos Communications Ltd