Page 5 - The Buzz 04/17/2026

APRIL 17 - 30, 2026 The MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL SECTION | A5

Happy Mothers Day
’

Mother’s Day is May 10, 2026

Duncan Falls resident to release memoir Grandma Joy

and Me: A Journey of Healing, One National Park at a

Time BY LYNETTE DOTSON | THE BUZZ

An inspiring story from social media well on her And I think the been able to travel and spend so
influencer Brad Ryan, half of the duo way toward national parks much quality time with his Grandma
behind the viral page Grandma Joys c o mp l e t - are one of the Joy. “It’s been the greatest privilege of
Road Trip, has been published and ing a new best places my life.”
will be released everywhere books are objective, to do that be- “I knew that I needed my grand-
sold on June 16, 2026. Grandma Joy visiting all cause we’re mother’s love, and I knew that I need-
and Me: A Journey of Healing, One Na- seven conti- not thinking ed to be in nature, and my instinct, I
tional Park at a Time is a memoir writ- nents in the about the typ- just listened to my instinct, and my
ten by Brad that takes readers inside world with ical dividing intuition was right. And so it’s allowed
the seven-year journey that helped to her grand- lines. We’re me to have a million gifts as a result
mend the relationship between him- son. Joy got thinking about of this time that I just got to spend
self and his paternal grandmother Joy her pass- how beautiful with her.”
Ryan as they visited every US National port at age the sunset is Grandma Joy and Me can be preor-
Park. 91. They or how amaz- dered online from a variety of retail-
“This book is about many things,” have visited ing that bear is ers. It will also be available at many
Brad explained. “Through our story, five out of that’s fishing independent bookstores throughout
we’re hoping that a lot of people will the seven for salmon at North America and will later be re-
see themselves in it and hopefully be continents the waterfall leased in the United Kingdom, Aus-
inspired to take some step forward in so far; only in Alaska, or tralia, and New Zealand, with more
a new direction for their lives.” Asia and watching the countries to follow. For more infor-
Brad has enjoyed traveling from Australia re- humpbac k mation, visit the publisher’s website
a very young age, and his career as main on the whale off the www.simonandschuster.com.
a professional services veterinarian list. The two coast of Cali- Look for Grandma Joy and Brad
has required frequent travel as well. of them are fornia, whatev- as they will be going on a road-trip-
Brad studied wildlife medicine at Ohio currently in er it may be, themed book tour that will involve
State’s College of Veterinary Medi- Ireland, an- you know, it going back to revisit some of their fa-
cine, and he continued his master’s other first in brings people vorite national parks and some inde-
degree in South Africa at the Univer- a long his- together, and pendent bookstores across the United
sity of Pretoria. tory of new we remember States to connect with readers and
Brad made the decision to take experiences our common promote the book.
the first steps to reconnect with his for Joy. With humanity.” Follow Grandma Joy’s Road Trip on
grandmother after being estranged each trip, their bond grows, and their Brad had this to say about having Facebook and Instagram.
for about a decade as a result of his hearts continue to heal.
parent’s divorce. “That’s what the book’s really
“The journey across the United about. It’s, I mean, yes, we went to
States over seven and a half years Yosemite and Yellowstone and Zion
was filled with lots of time on the and all these beautiful places, but it’s
open road to process our lives, to really more of a book about healing
have conversations that we probably generational trauma and finding a
wouldn’t have had,” said Brad. “Some path from, or, you know, moving away
conversations were really difficult. from grievance towards grace and for-
And I think that we had a unique op- giveness,” stated Brad.
portunity to kind of, she didn’t want The Grandma Joy’s Road Trip so-
to a lot of the time, you know, but I cial media pages have over 140,000
was on a mission to really uncover the followers collectively. They have had
whole truth of my family story and to the opportunity to share about their
try to understand who she was … who relationship and their travels in print
my father was.” several times throughout the years,
Through their adventures, Brad has numerous times including features
had the opportunity to do what he in Reader’s Digest and People Maga-
set out to do: get to know his Grand- zine. They have also made many tele-
mother Joy on a deeper level that oth- vision appearances: the Today Show
erwise may not have been possible. and Good Morning America, to name
“She’s funny, and she’s so lively and a couple. Although they have already
so inspiring,” explained Brad. “And inspired so many people, with the
everybody, I mean, it’s funny, even if book, the details of their unique story
she had never gone viral and even if will reach new audiences, some who
she had never broken a world record, unknowingly may start on their own
she would always, there’s no doubt personal journey of healing.
she would have been a legend in Dun- “A lot of families are not speaking
can Falls, and that would have been to each other for a variety of reasons.
enough for her. Truly. She doesn’t care And so I hope that the book, the
about that, but I’m just saying she’s whole title of the book is Grandma Joy
such a dynamic human being that ev- and Me: A Journey of Healing, One Na-
erybody from here has always adored tional Park at a Time, and whatever
her, and they all know who she is.” that journey is for whoever the reader
Grandma Joy and Brad set out on a is, I hope that they feel that healing is
quest to visit all 63 US National Parks, possible for themselves and for their
in 2023 that goal was accomplished, family,” said Brad. “I really want us to
making Joy the oldest person to do have a national conversation about
so (a world record). Now 96, Joy is looking for the good in each other.

Look for another
Mother’s Day
special section in
the next issue of
The Buzz!