Category Archives: Uncategorized
Finding Healing After My Father’s Murder: A Journey Through Grief and Community
My dad has always and will always be my first best friend. He was the person who helped me discover my love for board games, cards, and puzzles. He also introduced me to the greatest movie of all time, The Goonies. All these memories I have of my dad are from having almost 7 years with him, and every day I wish I could have had more. I remember the
Better Late Than Never: Finding Comfort Zone Camp As An Adult
I still vividly remember the day I learned my dad died, sitting in my Nana’s front garden underneath her big tree that we always climbed as kids. A place which, before June 14th, 2007, was filled with so many good memories. For a while, walking into her front door brought back those terrible feelings, unending tears, and confusion, but it has become the place I remember memories of my dad
I Lost My Best Friend At 27. I’ll Keep The Magic She Brought To My Life Forever.
In so many words, I always knew that death would touch my life as family and loved ones aged—it was the cycle of life. While I had experienced the difficult passing of all four of my grandparents in my 31 years and the sadness of losing my Uncle to cancer in high school, I was the least bit prepared to lose my best friend at 27. My entire world flipped
Moving Forward, Not Moving On: A Firefighter’s Legacy
It was a typical Saturday morning at our house. My brother Matthew had a basketball tournament, and my mom was getting things ready for us to leave. Then, I heard the fire whistle and my dad’s pager went off. In a hurry to leave, my mom asked me to grab his pager, and I handed it to him. He kissed my forehead and said, “I love you little buddy, I’ll
Grief Felt Like A Life Sentence: That’s Because It Is
I was always told that grief follows you for your whole life and has a weird way of morphing into other feelings and outlets. I was also, unfortunately, a teenager once, and I thought I knew it all and had total control of my feelings. I was convinced I was done grieving the death of my dad when I was seventeen years old because it happened when I was five.
California Wildfires: The Fear of Losing Memories of My Mother
I dropped the box that had my mom’s obituary in it. After five days evacuated from my home, I had finally gotten around to unpacking my car and with the last box in my arms, I managed to trip on the sidewalk and pour the contents out onto the pavement. I heard the picture we displayed at her funeral scratch against the ground, the small prayer card slipping out of
Sudden, Tragic Loss and Children: Expert Tips for Supporting Your Grieving Child
“How do I help my child cope with death? “What is the right thing to say?”, “What do they need from me?” are questions parents struggle with after a loss. While there’s no perfect script, here’s a guide on what to expect and to help you and your child navigate grief. 1. The “Why” Questions Are Also Normal. “Why did they die?” “Why would God allow this to happen?” “Why
Every Grief Journey Has Its Own Path: A Story of Losing My Father To Suicide
Content Warning: This personal essay discusses the loss of a parent to suicide and themes of grief. On October 10, 2004, during a routine sleepover at our grandparents’ house, my mom told us the devastating news that Dad had died. I was only 7 years old. Losing a parent so suddenly didn’t seem real. I was sad and crying non stop. I just genuinely could not believe what was happening.
The Day My World Changed: My Sister Was Shot and Killed In Her Friend’s Garage.
On August 11, 2009 a ridiculously cute baby was born at St. Mary’s Hospital right here in Richmond. That cute little baby was me. It was also the day that my sister Lucia went from being a little sister to being a big sister. We three Bremer kids–William, Lucia, and I grew up in a close family with both of my parents. And since Lucia was closest to me in
Learning to Dance in the Rain: Finding Hope at Comfort Zone Camp
When I talk about my dad, I want people to know about our happiest moments together and how amazing of a parent he was to me. I want them to know about how he was more than just my father – he was a hard worker, a husband, a person who protected others, and, most importantly, my best friend. Christopher Robert Murphy, my dad, served as a police officer for
