AUTHOR • ATTORNEY • ADVOCATE
Steven Scott Eichenblatt is a graduate of Florida State University and the University of Florida College of Law. A practicing attorney with Page and Eichenblatt, and father of five, he has spent over thirty years advocating for children as a pro bono guardian ad litem and representing families of first responders killed on 9/11. He lives with his wife, Melissa Ross, in Orlando, Florida.
“I keep hearing the police officer’s voice saying the injured man’s name and asking if anyone knows him. I can see his mangled eye staring into mine . . . His eyelid seems about to fall off his face, dangling down like a worm on a fishing hook. His flesh and blood are spattered across the windshield like disconnected puzzle pieces. Sadness hits me for an instant. Even though I refused to answer the officer’s question, the man is someone I know. Knew. He used to be my father.”
Praise for Pretend They Are Dead
“Pretend They Are Dead is a compelling story of fathers and sons. As a former major leaguer, the Tug McGraw chapter brought back great memories of having a catch with my own dad and being the dad playing catch with my kids. Don’t miss this one!”
— Mike Stanley, Retired MLB All-Star (1995)
“Beautifully written with immediacy and candor, Pretend They Are Dead sheds light on the long-lasting effects of parental estrangement, childhood trauma and the crucial role that empathy plays in forgiveness.”
— Carol Bloomquist Mikulka, MD, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
“This book is a testament to courage and resilience in the face of abuse and neglect. It is ultimately a story of hope, that with persistence, determination and the right kind of help, healing and transformation is possible.”
— Patricia Coughlin, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
“Pretend They Are Dead is a profoundly inspirational story of resilience, driven by Steven Eichenblatt’s incredible determination to overcome the traumatic events of his past, which inspired him to focus on fatherhood, family, and serving others.”
— Michael Nitti, Author of The Trophy Effect and Mastery: The Art of Living on Purpose
“As a family law attorney who deals in divorce, adoption, and child abuse, Pretend They Are Dead intrigued me. As a human being, it touched me. Eichenblatt's candor, resilience, and determination will resonate with anyone striving to be the kind of parent they never had."
— Wendy L. Aikin, Family Lawyer and Mediator
Steve Eichenblatt has given readers an extraordinary gift: the language to express the unspeakable and the strength to uncover hope where it’s hardest to find. Pretend They Are Dead offers a piercing, tender exploration of the unseen battles children endure when forced to navigate the chaos of adult struggles. With vivid storytelling and profound emotional insight, Eichenblatt reveals not just the lasting impact of these early wounds, but the quiet, powerful ways resilience takes root.
— Christine Wolf, author of Politics, Partnerships & Power and Founder of Write to Heal Workshops and Retreats
Media Coverage
