A father’s life is completely changed the moment he holds his child for the very first time. Fathers receive a new outlook on the fragility of life while he cradles his tiny child in his arms. Time becomes a precious commodity and the things we thought were important are re-prioritized. A father’s new priorities entail a well-nourished baby, clean diapers and a schedule that accommodates for naptimes. Even though we get less sleep, we are awestruck by the miracle that is life, and we start dreaming about our child’s future: her first words, her first day in kindergarten, her college graduation and watching her grow up into a thriving adult.
But what happens when that dream ends? What does a father do for his child when the unthinkable happens? After enduring the catastrophic tragedy of my daughter’s death at 10 months of age due to an undiagnosed illness, I held her in my arms and promised that I would share her story with the world. Losing my precious daughter at such a tender young age has cut short that future I had envisioned for her. Aviva was full of life, love, laughter and had a contagious personality that lit up the room. Her story was cut too short. Knowing that such a force of life was taken from my hands far too soon has been beyond devastating. However, as a father who still believes in giving his daughter the best possible future, I’ve been motivated to share her life’s story with all the children that never got a chance to meet her with the hope of inspiring others.
The main orangutan protagonist in the book, Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva, embodies my daughter’s personality and characteristics including courage, joy, charm, fearlessness, teamwork and grace. Relying on her vivacious spirt, musical melodies and can-do attitude, Aviva the Orangutan Diva’s quest for golden bananas leads her to confront dangerous encounters and overcome obstacles for the benefit of her community. The uplifting children’s book on jungle animals teaches kids many important lessons including overcoming fears, adapting to new environments, the importance of teamwork and staying true to oneself. By remaining true to own’s most authentic self and finding strength from within, almost anything in life can be accomplished and anything is possible.
As a heartbroken father and first-time author, my simple goal for the book is to spread my daughter’s joy, charisma, personality and love with all the children she would have met around the world. Although I can no longer hold her in my arms, I look forward to the day this book brings smiles and joy to children reading it with their parents all over the world. Perhaps it will even bring fathers closer to their own daughters, knowing nothing should be taken for granted in this life. Through this, my daughter Aviva will live on, and her legacy will continue. Even though she’s no longer physically here, it is my simple hope that her legacy can have an enduring impact on many others around the world. As a father who has lived through the unthinkable, my dream for my daughter never ends: I still believe she can have a positive and impactful future and I’m excited to see how Aviva’s story unfolds.
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Author Bio:
Hans Kullberg is an Author, specializing in Children’s Books, Grief and Parenting Books. Hans is a loving father of 4 wonderful children and prides himself on being a father first and foremost, cherishing every moment of his fatherhood journey. Also a serial entrepreneur in the non-profit and for-profit sectors, greatest pleasures of parenthood are bringing smiles and joy to his children and he loves watching them learn and grow. Making up silly, fantastical tales of dragons, race cars, flying unicorns and laughing llamas at bedtime every night is just part of his parenthood duties.
Due to the unexpected tragedy of losing his daughter Aviva at 10 months old, Hans is motivated to share her fearless character, fun-loving spirit and vivacious personality embodied through an orangutan in Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva. Even though she is no longer here to meet friends, Aviva can still change lives and create positive impact through the messages of this book including overcoming adversity by using your inner strengths, never judging a book by its cover and staying true to yourself. That is her Dad’s ultimate hope and motivation for writing – to bring smiles to children all over the world while sharing his daughter’s beautiful story and turning sorrow into a wonderful legacy.
Knowing intimately how precious life truly is, his mission is to help other parents embrace the wonderful experience of parenthood to the fullest, always cherishing our children by leading with love. In addition, through sharing his story about the most difficult tragedy a parent can imagine, he hopes to bring attention to the often-overlooked grieving journey and how supporters of bereaved parents can provide comfort simply by showing up. Grief is a process that society in general doesn’t necessarily embrace well and, through an upcoming book on the grief journey, Hans hopes other bereaved parents will be adequately supported during the time they need it most.