Bringing together grieving parents
Finding a way to move forward without moving past the children we've lost.
Life changed forever the day my son was killed
On Monday, August 29, 2022, my son Henry was killed in an accident on his first day of college. Just days after I left him in his dorm room. A month before his 19th birthday. My beautiful, brilliant, kind, quirky son was gone.
So many grieving parents walk among us
We inhabit a world apart because no one else can understand the nature of this beast. That’s why I look for ways to connect with other grieving parents. They understand me in a way no one else can.
We can still build relationships with the children we’ve lost
I honor Henry’s memory by volunteering in my community and working the polls on election day.
I connect with him each time I meditate.
I introduce my son to others through my writing.
How do you stay connected to those you’ve lost?
Please share your own experience in a comment.
Sorry I'm late to this one. Early on, I connected with my son by hammering into the keyboard. I was fortunate enough to get connected with a "mentor" (for lack of a better term) very early on in my grief journey. He founded a support group here at work for bereaved parents in 2013 after losing his son. He reached out on, I think, day 3 after T.J.'s accident. He's still my mentor and I honor T.J. and work to continue his son Jason's legacy by now being one of the leaders of the group he founded in Jason's honor. We have about 270 members world-wide now, and judging by the size of the company, we still have more parents to reach. And, unfortunately, we gain more weekly. As you said, we understand each other in a way no one else can.
If anyone would like to read my story, it is here: https://findyourharbor.com/hammering-into-the-keyboard/
I love how you connect with your son through volunteering.
I also share stories about my son, Nick so that others know that kindness and compass. I also write letters to him on those milestone days or when life feels hard and when life is joyous. I feel him over my right shoulder, happy that I’ve continued writing.