Dear Laura

<p><em style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)>Why would the Empire of Japan imprison 5 Dutch radio engineers hold their families hostage and move them all from Indonesia to Japan? </em></p><p><em style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)>And why would one of them die?</em></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)>It started with a bench--a simple handmade wooden bench handed down through the years--and a whispered comment at a child's birthday party that hinted at something much darker beneath its surface. From that moment on Laura Elliott knew there was more to her father's story. Through heartfelt letters written across decades oceans and generations and during her travels across the world she begins piecing together her father's hidden past guided by his enduring spirit and love especially when she's at her most vulnerable. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)>As Laura delves deeper she not only uncovers a surprising family story shaped by resilience displacement and the quiet heroism that lives in ordinary people but a lost chapter of WWII. Told with warmth curiosity and reverence for the past </span><em style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)>Dear Laura</em><span style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)> is a testament to the lifelong adventure of understanding those we love. It is a deeply personal account of questions finally asked healing that comes from bearing witness to the truth and the unbreakable bond between a father and daughter. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(50 51 56 1)>This is more than a memoir it's an unraveling of a mystery a reclaiming of legacy and a powerful reminder that sometimes the most incredible stories are those buried closest to home.</span></p>