Loss of a Family Member

After Loss of a child

We know the pain can be unbearable. Read stories and find community. You need not be alone in your journey.

Open to Hope Radio

Articles

  • Who Is Your Hero?  How Has Your Hero Influenced Your Life?

    Posted on May 12, 2026 - by Nan Zastrow

    “ I believe that our heroes in life change over time based on our values and maturity. We don’t cling to those who impressed us with their status. Instead, we align our vision with those who are authentic, reliable, and role models. However,  there may also be the unlikely, unclaimed hero who changes our life and  lives in our heart forever.” (Nan Zastrow)  A  year ago, in a support group meeting,  I shared the story of how the ®Wings organization began…in Memory after the death of our son, Chad. After the group, a man who was present came forward and […]

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  • Mother’s Day After Loss: 9 Compassionate Ways to Cope with Grief on a Tender Holiday

    Posted on May 10, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Mother’s Day after loss can feel like an emotional minefield. Whether you’re grieving your mother, a child, a sibling, or anyone you love, here are 9 compassionate, therapist-tested ways to cope with grief on Mother’s Day, honor your person, and find a quiet thread of hope on a tender holiday.

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  • Missing Mom On Mother’s Day

    Posted on May 10, 2026 - by Gary Sturgis

    I’ll be honest…I’ve been struggling what to say and write today. It’s because today is a day of celebration for so many, yet for so many others, this day comes packed with a punch to the gut and heart. Mother’s Day is about Sunday brunch, flowers, cards and family gatherings. It’s a day that’s filled with the celebration of life, love, happiness, gratitude, hugs and joy. But for some of you…it’s just another day living with a broken heart. There are so many different reasons (way too many for me to list in this blog) why this one day of […]

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  • A Different Kind of Mother’s Day for My Friend 

    Posted on May 9, 2026 - by Beth Marshall

    Mother’s Day usually stirs up memories of celebrating my Mom with my brothers and sisters when we were kids- showering her with all the snuggles, handmade cards and French toast from the Betty Crocker Boys and Girls Cookbook. Nothing said I Love You like delivering fresh flowers to her (right out of her garden).🌷   This year, though, I’ve been thinking a lot about my dear new friend, Marlene, who will be navigating her first Mother’s Day since the shocking death of her beloved son, BJ.    Marlene shared the heart shattering news on social media last year, “No words […]

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  • Between What Was and What Is

    Posted on April 15, 2026 - by Linda Henderson

    It has been over a decade now since losing Andrea, and grief has reshaped my world. My memories of her are as vivid as ever. I remember her as a child, with her locks of curly, golden hair and captivating blue eyes. The continuous compliments were awe-inspiring wherever we went. The way the sunlight caught her curls and the childhood laughter melted my heart as she played. I remember the pride I felt that followed me through the years, as I witnessed her milestones, accomplishments, and the way she nurtured her little boy. Those moments shaped my days, and I […]

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  • What Are Our Choices? A Personal Story By Susan Whitmore, Founder and CEO, griefHaven

    Posted on March 10, 2026 - by Susan Whitmore

    How do we handle the road stretching before us when we are grieving? Erika, my daughter and only child, died at 32 in 2002 from a rare sinus cancer. A year later, with the love and support of many people, I started griefHaven. Before Erika died, time felt like a friend. After, it became my tormentor—each day dragging on, the months ahead looking like endless miles to endure without her. When I imagined the future, it no longer held the excitement of possibility. It felt like a long, empty road. Heartbreak hits like a sudden tsunami. It leaves us gasping, […]

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  • A Day in the Life . . .If You Can Still Call It That

    Posted on February 1, 2026 - by Larry Carlat

    You wake up in the morning and for the first few hazy seconds, you think maybe it was all a bad dream. As soon as you get out of bed, a tidal wave of grief knocks you down, bringing you to your knees, and you immediately start to cry. You can’t stop crying. This is the beginning of the end of your life as you knew it—grieving your child who is no longer alive. Whether it was a long goodbye, a short goodbye, or no goodbye, you want the pain to stop but you don’t think it ever will.   […]

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  • Terrible, Thanks for Asking: What I’ve Learned About Grief

    Posted on January 24, 2026 - by Larry Carlat

    I’ve never loved anyone the way I loved Rob. Six years ago, I joined the world’s worst club when my older son shot and killed himself. He was 28. Rob suffered from depression, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism. After he died, it was my turn to find out what suffering really means.   After he died, it was my turn to find out what suffering really means.     In the first few weeks and months, I was gutted and in shock. So were my ex-wife, Caryn and my younger son, Zach. Our family had been destroyed. The whole thing seemed surreal—time was out […]

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  • New Year, Old Grief: Now What?

    Posted on January 20, 2026 - by Maria Kubitz

    Another New Year’s celebration has come and gone. For me, the reality of another year my daughter didn’t live to see is a painful one. Even many years after her death. Whether your grief is fresh or seasoned, New Year’s celebration and traditions of new beginnings in the form of yearly resolutions can be extremely painful. I often describe it as a “slap in the face” reminder that the world has moved on without my daughter—while I still think of her and miss her every day. It all started in September 2009, when my 4-year-old daughter died in a sudden, […]

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  • We Are Extraordinary Parents

    Posted on January 5, 2026 - by Larry Carlat

    I’ve always found it strange that there’s no word for a parent who loses a child. Why do widows, widowers, and orphans get to have all the fun? I think it’s time for someone to right this wrong.   Bear with me for a moment as I reaffirm what you already know: children aren’t supposed to die before their parents. That’s just not the way life should work. We give birth to children or adopt them, we love and nurture them, we raise them, they grow up, we grow old, and then we die. The circle of life, sunrise, sunset, […]

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  • Mourners Pass

    Posted on December 23, 2025 - by Perry Grosser

    It is the holiday season, and in those first year or two, the pain of not having my son home for the holidays was overwhelming. What hurt most was his absence—no longer buying him his eight Chanukah gifts, not watching him light his menorah alongside his sister’s, and alongside the family menorah that my wife and I light together.  Going to my in-laws’ home on Christmas was just as difficult, seeing gifts under the tree for everyone except him. Simply knowing he was not there was emotionally draining for us, year after year.  Over the years, this particular pain has eased little […]

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  • The Soul Knows When It’s Time to Go

    Posted on December 20, 2025 - by Larry Carlat

    Trying to make sense of suicide is a fool’s errand, and I’ve been that fool ever since my son Rob died. Losing any relative to suicide is traumatic, but it’s particularly devastating for parents, who feel like a failure in the most important job of their lives.   I tortured myself for the better part of two years, asking the same questions over and over again—is there anything we could’ve done to prevent Rob from doing what he did?   In the days and weeks after his death, the answer seemed obvious: yes! For God’s sake, I was with him […]

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  • Love Isn’t Enough

    Posted on December 15, 2025 - by Larry Carlat

      Thanks mainly to the Beatles, I always thought that love was all you need. Love was the answer, I knew that for sure. As I’ve said many times and will continue to say, I’ve never loved anyone the way I loved my older son Rob and I never will.   I’m sure you feel the same way about your child. That’s the deal when you become a parent—the amount of unconditional love you feel for your children is so enormous and overwhelming that you didn’t and couldn’t possibly have known that you had it in you to give. There’s […]

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  • More Than Just A Dream

    Posted on November 3, 2025 - by Dolores Cruz

    We all dream, though some people say they don’t remember their dreams. Some dreams are pleasant, some are strange, and some are scary. Some are crystal clear, and some are so nebulous that it’s hard to even explain them in words. Some make you wonder what that dream was all about, or if there was any kind of message in there somewhere for you.   But what if a dream of your loved one who has passed away is so clear and tangible that you could swear it was really them?   I have heard about these kinds of dreams […]

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  • Parts of You

    Posted on November 1, 2025 - by Larry Carlat

    One part of you knows that you must go on with your life, while another part doesn’t ever want to get out of bed. One part of you feels like you did everything possible to save your child, while another part takes you to task for not having done enough. One part of you believes that you were the best parent a child could ever have, while another part questions how you could possibly be the best parent when you failed to keep your child alive.   One part of you accepts the reality of your loss, while another part […]

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  • The Big Red Purse

    Posted on October 1, 2025 - by Linda Henderson

    Andrea, I was hoping you could lend me one of your big purses. I opened the closet where they are stored. To my disappointment, the big ones I remember were not there. I’m not sure, perhaps I lent them on your behalf, and my grief brain doesn’t remember. At first, I was disappointed and sad, a minor frustration compared to the grief I carry daily, but it caused me to pause. I know you understand. I started to look in the closet quietly, and my eyes focused on the purse you had that day—the beautiful lilac-colored one with darker purple […]

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  • When a Parent is Ninety: Grieving the Loss of a Child

    Posted on September 11, 2025 - by RichardEBristol

    When a Parent is Ninety: Grieving the Loss of a ChildGrief has no expiration date. Whether you are thirty or ninety, the loss of a child shakes the soul. For a 90-year-old parent, this loss can feel especially disorienting — as if the natural order of life has been reversed. No matter how many years have passed, a parent never stops being a parent, and the heart never stops longing for the child it has loved.The Butterfly and the Empty BranchImagine a butterfly resting on a branch — delicate, vibrant, part of the garden’s beauty. It is late in the […]

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  • Ten Ways to Support Grieving Parents Who Are Experiencing the Loss of a Child

    Posted on September 11, 2025 - by Steven Williams, Ph.D.

    Why This Topic Matters The death of a child is one of the most devastating and life-altering losses anyone can experience. For parents, it is not only the loss of a beloved son or daughter—it is the loss of future dreams, milestones, and a sense of identity that is often intertwined with being a parent. Friends and family often want to help but struggle to find the right words or actions. Missteps are common—not out of malice, but out of fear or lack of understanding. By identifying what parents who are grieving the loss of a child need most, we […]

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  • Overcoming Fear After Losing Son to Suicide

    Posted on July 10, 2025 - by Jean Williams

    Fear. Terror. Do these words describe your present state because of loss of a loved one? I know it did mine after our son, Joshua, died by suicide over six years ago. Do I still feel this way from time to time? Yes, but with God’s mercy, I passed through and out of the terror over Joshua being gone. Psalms 56:3 is fitting: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (KJV) Hard to practice living that verse? Of course, especially when you’ve lost a child. I walked around full of terror that first year after Joshua left […]

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  • Grief Illiteracy: How Avoidance Adds More Pain

    Posted on June 30, 2025 - by Linda Henderson

    What Grief Illiteracy Has Taught Me Losing Andrea irrevocably altered my life most profoundly. Child-loss changes the course of one’s life forever. My world is a different place, and I am not the same person I was before. There’s the deep personal pain that words are unable to touch, but there’s also something else I didn’t expect: the way the world responded. Or didn’t. In the months after Andrea died, I learned that many people don’t know how to deal with Grief, especially when it’s not their own. I call it grief illiteracy: the widespread discomfort, avoidance, and misunderstanding around […]

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  • Twenty Years after the Death, Mother Honors Her Child

    Posted on June 9, 2025 - by Janice Bell Meisenhelder

    Twenty Years after the Death As bereaved parents, we need encouragement to remember and honor our children as often and as long as we wish. There is no time limit on grieving. Any time is appropriate to bring attention to the memory of a loved one. In my initial years following the physical death of my 19-year-old daughter, Melissa, unspeakable pain overwhelmed my life. Although I functioned, heartbreak ruled my existence. Ever so slowly color began to mingle with the darkness of grief. Now, twenty years after the death, the tapestry of my life is filled with peace, joy, love, […]

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  • Grief is a Teacher, Teacher Says

    Posted on June 3, 2025 - by Dolores Cruz

    Grief is a Teacher It had been only six weeks since my 24-year-old son was killed in a car accident. That amazing young drummer who charmed most anyone he met with his good looks and kind personality, the one with the sparkle in his eyes that hinted at a bit of mischief, the one people were drawn to by his charismatic personality, the one who never in 24 years hesitated to hug his mom in front of his friends and audibly tell her he loved her. Yeah, that one. His physical presence was now gone, and though my raw grief […]

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  • Handling Grief Triggers

    Posted on June 3, 2025 - by Linda Henderson

    Handling Grief Triggers Triggers are a natural and inevitable part of grieving. It is essential not to avoid them, as not all are negative. When we find ways to prepare and cope with triggers, we are honoring the lives of our precious loved ones. Triggers are anything that causes the emotions of Grief to transport us back to moments that feel as vivid as the day of loss, reminding us of our weakest point. Triggers creep around every corner and attack without warning. Have you ever been going about your day — grocery shopping, taking the kids to school, showering, […]

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  • Mother Finds Comfort Saying Daughter’s Name

    Posted on May 29, 2025 - by Harriet Hodgson

    Few ask how I’m doing these days. Friends have resumed their lives and so have I. Today, I’m living a new, meaningful and happy life. Yet there are times when the pain of losing my daughter in 2007 hits without warning. Suddenly, I am transported back in time and see terrible images from the hospital emergency room. Since these mental pictures drag me down, I consciously switch my thoughts to positive pictures, such as my twin grandchildren graduating from high school. I’m glad I learned how and when to do this. Though we all go through grief, Americans tend to […]

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  • Moving after Loss: The Grief of Leaving the Home You Love

    Posted on May 27, 2025 - by Harriet Hodgson

    Moving after Loss Moving is one of the most stressful experiences of life. My husband and I have moved so many times we’ve lost count and we’re good at moving. We’ve lived in our present house for 20 years, the longest time we’ve lived anywhere, and made the house our own. This house has nurtured us through some tough times and now we must move. In the fall, my husband’s aorta dissected for the second time. He had three emergency surgeries, including a 13-hour operation to graft a Dacron descending aorta to his existing aorta. It was life-threatening surgery. His […]

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  • The Roar of Silence/ A poetry collection

    Posted on April 27, 2026 - by Dan Stern

    The Roar of Silence is a poetry collection written in the aftermath of profound loss, when language breaks down and silence becomes the only honest response. After the death of his son, a father searches for meaning in the quiet that follows devastation. These poems do not attempt to resolve grief or offer consolation. Instead, they listen—to absence, to memory, and to the altered gravity of living on. Silence appears here as wound and teacher, as accusation and refuge, as the space where truth waits without explanation. Moving through themes of fatherhood, masculinity, inheritance, endurance, and love passed forward, The Roar of […]

  • Never Forget Andrew

    Posted on December 23, 2025 - by Perry Grosser

    Perry started writing after the sudden loss of his son, Andrew. This book is a compilation of the writings about his personal experiences after the loss. They are about his son and other topics that have resonated with his family, friends and many followers. This book is a resource to help bereaved parents and those who care for them, to understand and deal with the loss of their children. The profits from this book will be returned to the community. Either through Andrew’s Foundation supplying sporting equipment to those who can not afford the equipment, through supporting Bereavement groups and […]

Open to Hope TV

  • Episode 261: Transforming Sorrow into Strength:  The Role of Art in Healing After Death.

    Posted on December 17, 2025 - by admin

    How do you transform sorrow into strength after a death?  Join host Dr. Gloria Horsley, and her co-host and daughter, Dr. Heidi Horsley along with their guests Sharon Strouse and Dr. Sarah Vollmann to talk about the role of art in healing after a death.  Sharon is a bereaved parent, and licensed clinical professional art therapist.  She is the Associate Director for The Portland Institute, and the author of; Artful Grief: A Diary of Healing.  Sharon is also the co-founder of the Kristin Rita Strouse Foundation.  Sarah is a bereaved sibling, registered board-certified art therapist, and faculty member of The […]

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  • Episode 260: Artful Healing: Beyond the Trauma of Loss

    Posted on December 16, 2025 - by admin

    How do you restore balance after a traumatic loss?  Join host Dr. Gloria Horsley, and her co-host and daughter, Dr. Heidi Horsley to talk with their guest Sharon Strouse about her family’s journey beyond the trauma of loss, after the suicide of her 17 year old daughter Kristin.  Sharon is a board certified and licensed clinical professional art therapist.  She is the Associate Director for The Portland Institute, and the author of; Artful Grief: A Diary of Healing.  Sharon is also the co-founder of The Kristin Rita Strouse Foundation.            

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  • Episode 255: Post Traumatic Growth and Transformation Through Grief

    Posted on December 11, 2025 - by admin

    How do you experience post traumatic growth and transformation through grief? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley and her guests John Santoro, Shari O’Laughlin, and Andy McNiel as they discuss how you can grow after a loss. John Santoro’s daughter Paula died from the hidden effects of hyper-rare genetic syndrome. He has served The Compassionate Friends as a trustee on the Foundation, and on the National Board of Directors. John co-founded the Paula Rosina Santoro Foundation, which funds and advises community service projects in New Jersey. Shari O’Laughlin is the Chief Executive Officer of The Compassionate Friends. Her 14 yr. old […]

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  •  Episode 254: Profound Losses in Childhood and Adulthood

    Posted on November 14, 2025 - by admin

    Have you, or has someone you know had a profound loss in childhood or adulthood? If so, join host Dr. Heidi Horsley and her guests Andy McNiel, John Santoro, and Shari O’Laughlin to learn adaptive coping skills after profound loss.  Andy McNiel is the Senior Advisor of Youth Programs at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).  He is a consultant for The Compassionate Friends, and co-founder of The Satori Group.  He is Co-Author of Understanding and Supporting Bereaved Children: A Practical Guide for Professionals.  John Santor’s daughter Paula died from the hidden effects of hyper-rare genetic syndrome.  He has […]

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  • Episode 253: Grief Supportive Workplace Practices that Support Greater Productivity

    Posted on November 14, 2025 - by admin

    Are you looking for grief supportive workplace practices that support greater productivity?  Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley, with her guests Shari O’Laughlin, Andy McNiel, and John Santoro to discuss grief in the workplace.  Shari O’Laughlin is the Chief Executive Officer of The Compassionate Friends.   Her 14 yr. old son Connor was killed in a plane crash, and her sister died earlier in her life.  Shari is the author of the book; Life From the Ashes;  Finding Signs of Hope After Loss.  Andy McNiel is the Senior Advisor of Youth Programs at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).  He […]

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  • Episode 252: Transforming Loss Through Purpose and Meaning

    Posted on October 5, 2025 - by admin

    How do we transform our loss through purpose and meaning?  Join Dr. Gloria Horsley and her co-host and daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley with their guests Dana Lerner, Georgia Lavey, and Casey Mulligan Walsh to discuss finding purpose and meaning after a loss. Dana Lerner is a psychotherapist in NYC, and the founder of Cooper Stocks Way, and co-founder of Families for Safe Streets.  Georgia Lavey is a licensed clinical social worker, and the Clinical Program Director at Our House Grief Support Center in New York City, where she oversees the design and implementation of grief support programs. Casey Mulligan Walsh […]

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  • Episode 251: Grief Support for Pre-Adolescents and Teens

    Posted on October 4, 2025 - by admin

    Loss is difficult at any age, but especially when you are a pre-adolescent or teenager.  Join Dr. Gloria Horsley and her co-host and daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley along with their guests Georgia Lavey, Casey Mulligan Walsh, and Dana Lerner, as they discuss how to support pre-adolescents and teens after a loss.  Georgia Lavey is a licensed clinical social worker, and the Clinical Program Director at Our House Grief Support Center in New York City, where she oversees the design and implementation of grief support programs.  Casey Mulligan is a the author of the award winning memoir;  The Full Catastrophe: All […]

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  • Episode 250: Grief and the Role of Faith

    Posted on October 3, 2025 - by admin

    When you have suffered a loss, what is the role of faith?  Join Dr. Gloria Horsley and her co-host and daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley and their guests; Casey Mulligan Walsh, Dana Lerner, and Georgia Lavey as they discuss faith and the role it played or didn’t play after their losses.  Casey Mulligan is a the author of the award winning memoir;  The Full Catastrophe: All I Every Wanted, Everything I Feared, and has written for the NY Times, Modern Loss, and Huff Post.  Dana Lerner is a psychotherapist in NYC, and the founder of Cooper Stocks Way, and co-founder of […]

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