The Simplest Way to Make Our Loved Ones Stories Live Forever

01 Oct 2025 #writing #books

Imagine an FBI agent arresting a Nazi spy while someone else urges his country to declare war against Germany.

That’s not a Netflix show. It’s a true story Fernando Labastida shared on LinkedIn. The two men were his grandparents. Here’s the original post.

When I read Fernando’s post, my first thought was “this should be a book.” Who wouldn’t like to read a story about arresting Nazis and the political discussions about Mexico entering WWWII? Yes, this story happened in Mexico.

I suggested he write a book, along with a list of mini-stories to include in that book:

1. Each of his granddads’ backstories.
2. The main event of their lives: arresting the Nazi spy and starting the movement to go to war.
3. The crossing point of the two stories. Their daughter and son, respectively, got married. And 40 years later, a family wedding took place in the same building where the Nazi spy was captured.
4. A summary of what was happening at that time in Mexico and the other places where the story took place. It turns out that a German U-boat sank a Mexican oil tanker.
5. A story of how Fernando found out about his granddads.

I found that story so intriguing that I imagined the first scene of a book or TV show:

One of his granddads packs to go to Mexico after briefing the FBI top officials, while the other rehearses a speech he’s about to give in Mexico City’s main square. Of course, that’s with time jumps and scene breaks.

Fernando said his granddads have passed away, and only a few relatives know the full story. That story could get lost in newspapers and government archives only journalist read, if he doesn’t write it.

A book is the best way to preserve family stories and honor our loved ones. There’s no need to write a New York Times bestseller to tell family stories. Even if only our future kids and grandkids read it, that’s enough to keep the story alive.