“What was he like when he was growing up?”

This is the question most often asked of Krista Keating-Joseph about her son, U.S. Navy SEAL Charles Keating IV.

In ‘Charlie, Don’t Be a Hero,’ she answers that question and tells us stories about his fun and adventurous childhood. She relates how a fun-loving, All-American boy becomes a warrior and the recipient of the Navy’s highest military honor, the Navy Cross.

The last time she hugged Charlie, she told him not to be a hero. But she also knew in her heart that Charlie always went to the fight to support and defend his teammates, the less advantaged, his friends and his country.

Krista writes about the loss of her son while she tells the story of being his mom. Krista also hopes the story will provide help for parents coping with the loss of a child. She shares her faith, and how it gives her strength to live with her loss, by moving forward in the best way possible.

Every child is extraordinary and the parents who raise them have memories they will never forget. Krista shares her memories of Charlie and how he never gave up.