Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut is a New York City-based journalist, editor, public speaker and travel industry expert with more than 30 years of experience. The winner of the 2019 NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark also authored the memoir Prepare for Departure: Notes on a Single Mother, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Allure of Frequent Flyer Miles (Vine Leaves Press, 2022).

My Sister Chose to End Her Life: Here’s What I Learned from the Experience

My cellphone dinged — it was an Instagram reel from my sister, Glynn. I opened the link and glamorous 1950s movie star Cyd Charisse filled my screen, dancing ecstatically in a shimmering yellow dress, surrounded by perfectly synchronized dancers.

Prepare for Departure

New York City, July 2015

My mother arrived in New York City with a black eye and one arm dangling in a sling.

And by the time the dirty white van finally swerved to a halt after seven hours navigating the highways of New York State, she was clearly not happy.
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