As a single mother of two young children, Charlotte set out to build a new life. She leaves her entire family behind in Virginia for the opportunities Ohio offered to her and her family. With just a high school education, no money, and completely alone, she redefined herself into a woman destine for success. After years of long hours working, many sleepless nights filled with worry, building new friendships, and raising two children, Charlotte blended herself into small town life amongst the corn and soy fields of Centerburg, Ohio. Her two sons, Trent and David, were given a life better than the one she had as a child. She had done what every mother dreamed of doing for her two boys. Just as life was starting to blossom with the full fruits of her success, tragedy entered her home. Cancer took from her what had taken years to build. Not only did the disease destroy her, it destroyed the lives of her two teenage sons. They would be the ones who would feel the full hurt of a broken home. The Average American Son looks closely at the effects cancer has on the lives of those left behind to put the pieces back together. Death was just the beginning of many pains Charlotte's sons would endure before rebuilding their own lives.