A light on the porch from Carrie A.

There is no way through this that does not pass through the work itself. When we lost my daughter Brittany, I had no idea what to do. I was in disbelief. Why did this happen to our family. What did I do wrong. I knew my surviving children needed me, and the pain was unbearable. A complete stranger, a woman named Emily, came up to me at Brittany's wake and said, I know your pain. I lost my daughter too. She was a volunteer with AFSP. She asked me to come to a meeting. I was not ready. She said call me. A few months later, when I realized I was lost and hopeless, to my family and to myself, I made that call. I went to the meeting. I felt a connection to Brittany again. I wanted to do anything I could to make sure another family did not go through what we just did. That was the beginning. I have not stopped since. If you are reading this and the pain feels unbearable, please call someone. Please go to the meeting. Show up even if you are not ready. Especially if you are not ready. Grief looks different for everyone, but for me it has always been doing something. Fundraising. Showing up. Building something out of heartbreak. Be kind to one another. You never know what someone is going through.