The Weight is the story of a family burdened by lingering resentment, a cancer diagnosis, a big secret, and a forty pound backpack. Jimmy is a fun-loving single 35-year-old who is in remission for Leukemia and decides it’s time to reconcile with his sister. Erin, his Type-A older sister, is in the midst of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, while her partner Sophia is secretly pregnant. Mona, their meddling mother, persuades Sophia into pregnancy even though she’s still struggling to accept her new daughter-in-law.

The inspiration for The Weight stems from my relationships with my brother and sister, my love of hiking, and my fear of dying. Each character’s perspective is represented with their individual personalities and journeys intersecting with humor, frustration, and love. Following the characters through Virginia, New Jersey, and along the Appalachian Trail, the story poignantly concludes atop Mt. Katahdin.