Media

Gretchen Detora on Boston WCVB Channel 5 News with Emily Riemer -- "Dave And Danny Pay It Forward"

Gretchen on Jordan Rich Show

Author, Gretchen Detora, was recently on Hay House Radio! Download the podcast here. 

An article was recently published about Dave and Danny Pay it Forward in the Lawrence Eagle Tribune. Full story below! 

June 19, 2014

A legacy carried forward

Local dad's warmth inspires children's book in his memory

By Judy Wakefield jwakefield@andovertownsman.com
See More Information at: http://www.andovertownsman.com/townspeople/x1927804723/A-legacy-carried-forward

Gretchen Detora remembers being struck by David Vaughan’s warm personality when he chaperoned a field trip to the New England Aquarium in Boston last year.

As the second-graders from South School, including Vaughan’s oldest son, Colin, excitedly talked about sea lions and sharks, a teacher’s assistant for the class was drawn to the Andover father’s demeanor with the youngsters.

“I couldn’t help but notice the warmth and positive energy that he exuded to those around him,” said Detora, an Andover native who graduated from Andover High School in 1972.

Last September, tragedy struck that warm, positive personality. Vaughan, 40, of Lavender Hill Lane, was killed in an early-morning car accident on his way to work at his family’s business, Canobie Seafoods in Salem, N.H. His car collided with a co-worker’s vehicle on Interstate 93 north just past the River Road exit in Andover.

Vaughan left behind his wife, Kristen, and their three young children — sons Colin and Kevin, who both attend South School, and daughter Caroline, a preschooler.

“After I heard of David’s passing, I wanted to do something to help the family with the intention of supporting the Vaughan Family Trust Fund. I thought a lot about David because I knew what kind of person he was — always helping those around him,” said Detora, who now lives in North Andover with her husband, Arthur.

Detora has written a children’s book dedicated to Vaughan and 20 percent of sales will go to the Vaughan Family Trust Fund.

“Dave and Danny Pay It Forward” is a cheerful, colorfully illustrated story about a dad named Dave and his son, Danny. Giving back by doing something good for someone — known as paying it forward — is the overriding theme of this story.

Young local readers will especially like the illustrations by Jason Boucher of Southbridge as Andover’s South School as well as Stachey’s Pizza in North Andover are pictured in the book, which sells for $14.95.

“He was the ultimate ‘Pay It Forward’ kind of guy,” Detora said of Vaughan.

“The idea to create a character like David came to me almost as if by divine inspiration and the words just started to flow as I typed on my computer.”

This is Detora’s first book, which she self-published through Mascot Books.

Detora said Mascot published another children’s book, “Rick’s Story,” about father and son Dick and Rick Hoyt, who have become popular figures on the local race circuit, with the elder Hoyt pushing, pulling and carrying his disabled son, Rick, through more than 1,000 road races and triathlons, including 26 Boston Marathons, for the past 33 years.

The duo’s inspiring message of “yes, you can” is very well known, said Detora, who had often read that book to the students in her class.

Now Detora, whose own son, Ryan, lives in Amherst, hopes to inspire children with her story based on Vaughan.

“I took a chance and sent in my submission to Mascot. They loved the idea behind the story of donating to the fund,” said Detora, who has written three other stories, including a companion book in what she hopes will become a “Pay It Forward” series.

“But, I also wrote the story with a bigger message in mind ... a message about kindness, compassion and giving to others or, as the title suggests, paying it forward. My hope is that David’s spirit will live on through this story.”

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For more information or to purchase a copy of “Dave and Danny Pay It Forward,” visit www.DaveandDanny.org