Open to Hope Articles
Do you want to read stories of others who have been where you are? Are you looking for bereavement help, and advice? Look no further. We offer over 3,000 articles written by our Open to Hope authors.
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my son was killed in a hit and run
October 3, 2011
. on september 8th i got a knock on my door , a highway protol was on the other side .He said mamm your son Derek j. Rivere was in a accident. he said mamm can i talk to your husband i ran to get my husband. as i stand at the door praying my son was still alive .All i could hear was the highway protol man saying he was gone. On september the 8th my son was killed on la 1. south of the lafourche crossing in louisiana. While waliking on the side of the road my son […]
Terminal Grief
October 3, 2011
My life as I knew it ended on May 26, 2002, when my eighteen-year-old daughter Jeannine was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare, aggressive and incurable form of cancer. Jeannine died on March 1, 2003, at the age of 18, approximately ten months after diagnosis. When she was diagnosed, the experience itself was surreal. In the blink of an eye, I went from the everyday joys of being a parent to a vibrant daughter to the horror of having that same child diagnosed with a terminal illness. My subsequent research revealed that the five-year survival rate for her cancer was […]
Whispers of Love, Signs of Hope
September 30, 2011
If you have lost someone close to you and suffer with that loss, you may have wished for, prayed for, expected and or anticipated some sort of supernatural experience that would validate your belief that there truly is life after death. I believe that somehow our loved one who has moved on in spirit can communicate to us in some form or fashion, and that it can bring us a peace that can be found no other way. I believe we live in one sphere of existence, our departed loved one lives in another, but we can meet at the […]
The Year of Firsts
September 28, 2011
Imagine a young son who has struggled his whole life with pain and illness. His parents have cared for his physical needs and felt responsible for his emotional well-being. Now, imagine they are witnessing their twenty-five-year-old son die from a bullet by his own hand. That profound moment began our yearlong of firsts. I know my husband had his own list of firsts, but mine began with disbelief the morning before Saint Patrick’s Day. Each reminder of Joshua not being there was gut wrenching throughout that first year, but there was grace, too, which I never expected. Until Easter, my […]
From Tragedy to Triumph
September 27, 2011
MY YOUNGEST SON WAS MURDERED, AND SUDDENLY HE WAS GONE It was approximately 8:00 am on Sunday morning, February 28, 2010, when I received a call that no mother ever expects to receive. The voice on the other side of the phone says, ” I am the weekend doctor at Central State Mental Hospital’s Forensic Unit, and I am calling to inform you that this morning your son Justin was found dead in his bed.” All I remember is dropping the phone, falling to the floor, making it to the bed in my room; I was rolling and screaming at […]
Autumn Arrives, Good Things Will Follow
September 20, 2011
Outside, the temperatures are changing and we pull out fall clothing. Soon we will need even more warmth, and our winter wardrobe will appear. For some of us, it may seem no matter how many layers we put on, we are still cold. The chill we feel in our bones goes beyond warm clothing. What we really long for — an arm around our shoulders, a hug. a hand to hold, someone to snuggle with on a cool crisp day — seems to be as absent as the sunshine we once enjoyed. We sigh again. We may feel like giving up and […]
Grandmother Writes to Deceased Grandson on His Birthday
September 16, 2011
Conner, today is your 1st birthday. It has been 12 months since your death and it hurts just as much today as it did then. Time has a way of helping you control your tears while around others but when alone, it is very easy to shed them. I miss you so much. I am only your grandmother; I can’t begin to imagine the pain that your mommy and daddy are going through. I came to work today but I shouldn’t have. I have been in the bathroom many times crying. The pain is so intense. Special days and holidays […]
Gordon Bolar Topic: Dealing with the Public and Private Nature of Loss
September 15, 2011
Gordon Bolar’s 24-year-old son Army Spc. Matthew died in 2007 while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Matthew died in Baghdad of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. He had volunteered for a second tour of duty. His dad, Gordon, is the station manager for WMUK Public Radio, Western Michigan University. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/files/2011/09/Gordon-Bolar.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Living with an Unexpected Loss
September 10, 2011
It is hard to accept the loss of a loved one after they have been a presence in your life for so many years, especially if they were young and you had expected them to be in your life for many more years to come. I have heard that people who have lost an arm or a leg say they can still feel the missing limb as though it were still attached. I had the same feeling about the loss of my child. For several months after his death, something would happen that would have interested Jason and I would […]
