In the opening pages of Lament for a Son, Wolterstorff begins by describing Eric’s burial on a warm June day. He contrasts the softness of the willow seeds blanketing the ground with the cold, hard reality of his son’s lifeless body. Wolterstorff grapples with the disconnect between the physical remains and his memories of Eric, noting how death stripped away not just Eric’s life, but also the warmth and softness Wolterstorff associated with his son. This stark realization leads him to question the very nature of personhood and its relation to the physical body.

The author then recounts in detail the moment he received the news of Eric’s death. It was a bright Saturday afternoon, and Wolterstorff’s family had just sent Eric’s younger brother off to join him for the summer. Wolterstorff recalls the painful phone conversation with the person who called to inform him of Eric’s accident, capturing the gradual revelation of the tragedy and his own stunned responses. He describes a brief moment of peaceful resignation before the full impact of the painful loss hit him.

Wolterstorff provides a comprehensive background of Eric’s life and character. He describes Eric as a National Merit Scholar who excelled in science and math but ultimately chose to pursue art history.