Meeting 77-year-old William Weinbrecht was one of the biggest blessings to come out of the hospice work my husband has been doing with Lightbridge. Michael was so moved by the book Bill had written for his granddaughter that he came home and shared the story with me. I knew I wanted to then share it with all of you.
I know that your granddaughter had trouble with her speech but what gave you the idea to write a story for her rather than just helping her practice the letters?
I remember that day very well. She was talking about her “teacher” and it sounded like “teacha.” She pronounced anything that ended with an “r” with an “a” sound instead. I thought, “I have to help,” so I took her outside and we sat by the pool while I told her a story. I came up with an alliterative story using all “r’s.”
What was Amanda’s reaction to that first story?
She loved it, and we went inside so I could write it down and she could then read it to me. I called it Not a Very Bright Raccoon.
I noticed that you also wrote stories focusing on other letters like f, p, g. Did you choose those specific letters for a reason?
She enjoyed the stories so much, I decided to write more. I liked the idea of alliterations so I just went through the alphabet and chose letters for which I could think of a lot of words.
How old was Amanda when you started writing stories for her?
She was about five or six, and I wrote the stories over the course of a year and a half.
Did they accomplish your original goal of helping her with her speech?
Yes! She also took a speech class, so the stories reinforced what she practiced there. She had such a good time reading them. She and her friends would read them out loud together and laugh, and it was wonderful to watch.
Which story was her favorite?
She loved Fanny the Friendly Feline because it’s very short and we would try to read it fast and would just start laughing. It’s impossible to read fast!
Is that your favorite, too?
No, my favorite is The Pumpkin Patch Picnic. It’s just fun.
It’s so special that Amanda has a book meant just for her, and I bet it’s become a treasured possession. When did you decide to put the stories together, and how did she feel about it?
It wasn’t until years later, when she was in her teens, that I told her I was going to compile a book for her. She said, “No, papa, you don’t have to do that.” She was very touched.
I know you’ve volunteered at a children’s hospital by sketching cartoons for the kids. Have you shared any of the stories with them as well?
I started volunteering about seven years ago, after I was diagnosed with cancer and, no, I never read the stories there.
Your stories are so sweet and fun to read, and I can see how they would totally appeal to young readers. Did you always want to write? Have you written anything before these stories?
I don’t think I would have written a book if it weren’t for Amanda. All I ever wrote previously were loan agreements.
Such a sweet story behind the story! Love how the tales helped with his granddaughter’s speech. 🙂
Thank you so much for introducing me to William and Amanda. A book is like a loan agreement that never comes due. It is a gift that lasts forever.
Wonderful stories and a great man. Thank you so much for introducing me to these stories and their origin. As a Nana to 9, I love them. Virginia- FirstClassWoman.com
This is so meaningful to me for so many reason.
First, what a blessing we have among us to have such a person as William who devotes himself to his granddaughter. Such love & caring.
Second, we received news yesterday that my dad has B cell lymphoma and we are heartbroken but ready to be by his side on this journey.
Third, my son has learning disabilities, and this book has special meaning for me. As parents, my husband and I took him out of public school in 3rd grade, and put him into private where tuition was as much as college tuition. We were blessed to be able to do so, Today he is blossoming as a sophomore in a “regular” college with no extra help at all. A book like this will help parents and children alike, and I am ecstatic about its publication.
Last, when my son was small I wanted to write a book (still would love to) to explain to children about living with a parent with a disability. There were none at the time. Perhaps today there are. I wanted a colorful children’s book such as Williams. Kudos to him for making this happen.
Excellent post.
Love this! To make learning fun is so important. I grew up in a very structured private schoool – even taught there in later years- but the fun was absolutely lacking… and for me, as an artist, I found it devoid of all human-ness. Let’s enjoy life! Let’s share and laugh and sing and grow – together.
Thanks you William for your bright love that shines beyond the norm. And the icing on the cake: the picture of you and Amanda, you are sittiing on the carousel that I helped restore/paint when it first came to San Diego from Coney Island. What a fun connection!
Thank you~
Thank you, Thank William. There are so many times you say I want to do something special and you don’t. He did and Amanda will always know it. Bless them both.
Ronnie
William is such a great example of the effect one person can have on another. So empowering.
This brought tears to my eyes. How lucky Amanda is to have a grandfather like William!
I love the intergenerational connection here. In a society where we so dismissive of older people, this is a great example of what we are missing. Our elders have so much to teach us, and I applaud William for making a difference in his granddaughter’s life, and you for getting his story out there.
What a beautiful connection William has made with his loving and thoughtful stories created to assist his granddaughter which will now go on to delight and assist countless others as well. We all benefit learning about such acts of love.
I had wonderful grandparents, like William, that made a huge difference in my life. Unconditional love was the greatest gift and this is what William has given to Amanda. This is a beautiful story and his impact will reach far beyond Amanda. The world is a better place for having William in it!
That’s a lovely story, Michael. Thanks for sharing it!
We were so pleased when Bill put his stories into a book for Amanda.
I had encouraged him to do so and said if you do publish your stories I will give you a book signing party. I was proud to do so, but did it not only to acknowledge his accomplishment but also so I could have a book for my grandchildren. Thanks Bill for sharing.