Michele Neff Hernandez

Michele Neff Hernandez is the founder and executive director of the Soaring Spirits Loss Foundation. SSLF is a non-profit organization committed to providing resources and support to people grieving the loss of a loved one. In addition to her work with the foundation, Michele inspires people as a motivational speaker and freelance writer. Through speaking to service groups, faith communities, Universities and hosting community seminars she has shared her thoughts on loss and hope with a variety of audiences. She is the creator of the Widow Match program. Since the death of her husband in 2005, she has made reaching out to other widows her personal mission. Ms. Hernandez’s various projects have been featured in the Ventura County Star, the Simi Valley Acorn, and the Riverside County Record. She is a contributing author to several websites and is chronicling the interviews she has done with widows across the country in a book called, The Healing Power of the Widow’s Bond. Currently, she is planning a national widowhood conference scheduled for the summer of 2009. Ms. Hernandez is a resident of Simi Valley, California where she lives and laughs with her three amazing children. An avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, she actively encourages others to embrace the life we are given.

Articles:

Open to  hope

The Weight of Well Wishes

Every once in awhile I am able to see myself through another person’s eyes; sort of like looking up and seeing an image in a mirror, and then realizing the […]

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Open to  hope

Where to Start

Click on this post for recommended articles, radio shows and videos for those who are new to Open to Hope…

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Open to  hope

Family Practices Teamwork After Husband/Father Dies

Our family received an amazing, unexpected Christmas gift of a very cool new TV. We went about shifting, rebuilding, figuring out cable connections, and placing the new gadget in the […]

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Open to  hope

Widows: Let Love Win Out over Fear

Five years ago when my husband died in a cycling accident, the last thing on my mind was finding a new man to love. Horrified by the unexpected jump from […]

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Open to  hope

In Widowhood, What I Believe

Before my husband Phil died, I could have easily created a long list of my personal beliefs. This list would have included ideas about both the tangible and the intangible; […]

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Open to  hope

The Weight of Wishing

Every once in awhile, I am able to see myself through another person’s eyes. It’s sort of like looking up and seeing an image in a mirror, and then realizing the […]

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Open to  hope

Cleaning the ‘Emotional Closet’ After a Loss

We put all kinds of things inside of closets. There are things you expect to find inside this storage space: sweaters, dresses, and shoes. Then there are the other things […]

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A Meditation for Those Facing the First Anniversary of a Loss

As you approach the first anniversary of losing the amazing person that shared your life, I have a vision I would like to share with you. I am imagining you […]

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Open to  hope

First Anniversary…

As you approach the first anniversary of losing the amazing person that shared your life, your love, your joys, and your sorrows; I have a vision I would liketo share […]

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Open to  hope

Lifting the Veil: Gloom Ends at a Wedding

By Michele Neff Hernandez — The death of someone instrumental in our lives instantly changes our view of the world. Ordinary things are suddenly fraught with meaning, and insignificant moments […]

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