| Summary |
On Saturday, February 7, 2009, local teacher Sue Gunningham waits impatiently in her car for news of her long-time partner Barry Johnston, who has been declared missing in the savage Victorian bushfires that would come to be known as the "Black Saturday" fires. She worked that morning, and so was not at home at their cottage, Waldene, near Kinglake, when the bushfire swept through. Little does she realize that the loss of her partner is just the beginning of her battle to keep a place for her in his life, and to save the memory of their love. Sue has to deal with the frantic search for Barry in the days after the fire; the Coroners identification process, solicitors, and the funeral parlor in a struggle to have Barrys remains identified and returned; the continual round of formal interviews with police, case managers, psychologists, and the Victoria Bushfire Royal Commission; and the burnt-out site and trying to rebuild both the cottage and her life. Raw and compelling, All the Days After will resonate with anyone who has suffered through devastating grief. It is Sues personal story of love loss, grief, and rebuilding, but it is also the story of the lesser known aftermath of a major tragedy; one involving family disputes, inquests, a Royal Commission, and more, and how events play out when youre involved on the inside as opposed to being a remote spectator. |
