Softball Dad is D.A. Perry’s fiction debut, following a father whose family is killed by a drunk driver and whose life is reshaped by grief, paraplegia and a gradual return to community. Softball—first as the world he shared with his daughter, then as a way to support young players—becomes central to his efforts to rebuild.
What is Softball Dad about?
Dave coaches his daughter’s high-school softball team. After the team celebrates a championship, he and his daughter argue on the drive home. A drunk driver crosses the centerline and hits their vehicle head-on. Dave wakes in hospital to learn that his wife and daughter have died and that he is paraplegic.
The novel follows Dave through grief, guilt and anger, as well as his resistance to rehabilitation. A confrontation with a therapist marks a turning point: Dave begins to take part in treatment and to reconsider what disability may mean for his future. After leaving rehabilitation, he moves to another city, where isolation worsens his distress.
How softball helps Dave reconnect
Dave’s friend Ryan and Ryan’s daughter Maygen step in when he reaches a crisis. Maygen stays with him, helps him reconnect with doctors and treatment, and organizes donations for a service dog. As Dave’s circumstances begin to stabilize, he returns to softball and becomes an assistant coach.
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He gives Lizzy, one of the players, his daughter’s old softball equipment. Their shared experience of loss helps them form a bond. Dave’s relationships with the team and with Lizzy’s mother, Melody, help him understand the value of sharing his story. Coaching and speaking with young people about drinking and driving become ways to give meaning to his experience. A tournament tribute helps him honor his daughter and say goodbye; the story ends with the possibility of a new relationship.
Who is D.A. Perry?
A WritersWeekly feature published October 1, 2026, identifies D.A. Perry as a Flint, Michigan native who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after birth and is a lifelong disability-rights advocate. The feature describes My Life in a Short Bus World as his autobiography and Softball Dad as his fiction debut. Read the WritersWeekly feature.
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
Where can you find the book?
The October 1, 2026 WritersWeekly feature reports that Softball Dad is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookLocker and other retailers. It does not identify an ISBN, format, edition or direct product listing, and those details have not been independently confirmed here. Check a retailer’s current listing for the specific edition and format before ordering.
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Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Rank #4
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