The Bridge: “Morning Pops”

This gripping true story covers six months in the life of Jeremy Robert Raphael. A time in which he was in the Stanislaus County Jail. He formatted The Bridge in personal letters, writing daily. These letters were never mailed. They remained in his possession until he handed them to his father in bulk shortly after his release in 2008. He wrote in pencil on yellow paper, leaving little room for revision. It is raw and honest while at the same time beautifully poetic. Jeremy absorbed classical literature and quoted seamlessly from them. While Jeremy was bright, cheerful, and full of life, he also struggled with mental illness. His battle was real; one he fought with the resources he had. Read this snapshot of his life with compassion. You will smile, laugh, cry, and occasionally scream, “Why?” We all do. But in the end rejoice that God is God. Jeremy is whole now in the presence of the Good Shepherd. Jeremy’s death was attributed to an accidental drug overdose on The Fourth of July, 2018.