Other Losses
Military Loss | Suicide | Pregnancy Loss | Bereavement | Pet Loss | Men Only | Twin Losses | Grief Process
Articles
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Giving Back After Coping with a Loss: Interview with Dr.Janna Henning
September 6, 2018
At the annual ADEC (Association of Death Education and Counseling), I spoke with Dr. Janna Henning about her losses and how she went on to help other people the way she helped herself. Getting into the field of death and dying was influenced by Janna’s own loss experience. At the age of 21, Janna was […]
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Dear Dad: A Letter to the Long Deceased
August 24, 2018
Introduction Dear Dad is the story of my life told in the form of letters to my father, Walter Michael Jaworski, who died of a heart attack when I was five and whom, therefore, I never got to know. It is not a maudlin story of regret, but the tale of how one’s entire life — […]
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Grieving Suicide, Homicide or Traumatic Deaths: Finding Purpose in the Pain
February 17, 2018
If everyone around you does not understand why you can’t get past the past, perhaps it is because you are grieving a very complex or traumatic death. In the face of murder, suicide or untimely trauma, it feels nearly impossible to stop the intrusive thoughts. They play through your mind like a tape loop in […]
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Coping With the Loss of a Teen by Suicide
January 10, 2018
At the annual ADEC (Association of Death Education and Counseling), I spoke with Carolyn Zahnow about The Shore Grief Center and tips she has to find healing after suicide loss. Carolyn lost her son, Cameron, in 2005 when he was 18 years old. In the video below, Carolyn shares advice on how to cope with […]
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Why Some Families are Resilient
December 20, 2017
Kathleen Gilbert is based at Indiana University and specializes in grief counseling with military members and their families—however, she also works to help families build resiliency during deployment (without any deaths occurring). Gilbert spoke to Dr. Gloria Horsley during the 2015 Association on Death Education and Counseling conference about what she’s working on and how […]
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Jill Harrington: Loss of a Young Adult
September 28, 2017
Dr. Jill Harrington is a social worker, clinician and researcher at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress who specializes in grief after losing a young adult. “Some in the military and some in the civilian world,” explains Dr. Harrington, who chatted with Dr. Heidi Horsley during the Association for Death Education and Counseling […]
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My Summer of Grief Led to New Normal
June 26, 2017
Our daughter died on July 19, 2005. The shock of her suicide and my own gut-wrenching grief that day is painful to remember. No one in our family knew what to do or how to react. It was like falling out of a boat in the dark at high tide. We couldn’t “swim”. We couldn’t […]
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What Makes Sudden Death So Different?
May 22, 2017
It’s not just that we “didn’t get to say goodbye.” That common phrase, often associated with sudden death, is far too simplistic when unpacking the reality of completely unexpected deaths: accidents, homicides, suicides, sudden natural causes (e.g. heart attack, brain hemorrhage) and serious illnesses where death is unforeseen (e.g. epilepsy). SHOCK The scientific community explains […]
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Webinar: Healing After a Fatal Car Accident
April 19, 2017
The Compassionate Friends, the Open to Hope Foundation, and Carl McDonald, the National Law Enforcement Initiatives Manager for MADD, offer a special webinar on grieving after losing a child due to a driving under the influence (DUI) incident. Drs. Heidi and Gloria Horsley, the hosts, lost a loved one to a DUI crash—Gloria’s son and […]
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Traumatic Grief May Interfere with Memory
January 25, 2017
Dr. Gloria Horsley with the Open to Hope Foundation talks with Robert Zucker about traumatic grief, healing, and his own bereavement process. As a grief counselor and the author of The Journey Through Grief and Loss: Helping Yourself and Your Child When Grief is Shared, Zucker knows all too well how difficult bereavement can be. […]
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David Meagher: Children and Pet Loss
December 7, 2016
How can you help children address pet loss? David Meagher, a professor emeritus at The City University of New York, explains that pets genuinely become part of a family. The grief many feel for their pets is on par with grief they may feel for a close family member. Dr. Gloria Horsley of the Open […]
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Valarie Molaison: Communicating with Children after a Suicide
November 28, 2016
How can you talk to children following a suicide? That’s the question Dr. Heidi Horsley tackles with Dr. Valarie Molaison, the clinical director at Supporting Kids, a non-profit based in Delaware. She’s also a licensed psychologist and a specialist in grief and loss. Suicide is a stigmatized loss already. Should children be told the truth […]
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Celestial Conversations: Reaching Through the Veil
August 18, 2016
When my mother died in 2004, we had so much unfinished business that I thought her death ended all chances of healing our strained relationship. Encouraged by a friend, I began journaling with the intention of reaching through the veil to my mother. Even though my Catholic religion frowned on talking to the dead, it […]
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Grace Christ: Comparing Sudden and Anticipated Loss
July 28, 2016
Dr. Heidi Horsley interviews Dr. Grace Christ about sudden loss vs. anticipated loss for the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Both professors at the Columbia University School of Social Work, the two Drs. know each other—and their work—quite well. Dr. Christ also works with the New York Fire Department and is the director of […]
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Ode to an Urn Maker: Commemorative Urns of Eliza Thomas
July 18, 2016
Ceramic artist Eliza Thomas has a unique practice of creating commemorative urns and offering them to those grieving a loss. Hearing of this work, I was intrigued, and tried to track her down. When we finally meet at Caffe Borrone in Menlo Park, we are just a short walk from Stanford University. Next door neighbors […]
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Getting Through Those Triggers!
July 15, 2016
When we lose a loved one, the time we spend dealing with sadness surrounding that loss can vary daily, hourly or even minute-by-minute. As time goes by, the expectation we have and what generally occurs, is that the sad thoughts spread themselves out further and further apart. We learn to adjust to life moving on […]
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Deborah Antinori: Pet Loss
July 10, 2016
Registered nurse and licensed professional counselor Deborah Antinori joins Dr. Heidi Horsley to talk about pet loss, one of the most disenfranchised losses. She’s also a drama therapist and grief counselor. There are practical and emotional issues surrounding pet loss. When you lose a pet, it’s similar to any other kind of loss. Sadness, tearfulness, […]
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Grief Tips for Those Who Lost Loved Ones in Orlando
June 13, 2016
The loss this weekend in Orlando is devastating to anyone that has heard about this senseless mass murder. However, for those that were directly impacted because they lost a child, friend, or loved one, the sense of loss is beyond words. It’s difficult to even know where to start in this type of grieving process, […]
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Tragedy in Orlando, Collective Grief and Aftershocks of Loss
June 13, 2016
If the tragic events in Orlando yesterday were heavy for you and served as a painful reminder of the personal loss or losses you’ve endured, you are not alone in the sorrow you’re experiencing today. Once again our entire nation finds itself immersed in collective grief. For many Americans the feelings of grief associated with […]
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Ted Bowman: The Hidden Losses
June 9, 2016
In this webisode of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) organization, Ted Bowman joins the show to talk about different types of loss. Things rarely work out as planned. Dr. Gloria Horsley introduces Bowman as she asks about shattered dreams. “What are some of the factors around loss?” she asks. There are conspicuous […]
Open to Hope Radio
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Debbie Rambis: School Shootings Trauma Response
August 2, 2018
On this show Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley interview Debbie Rambis executive director of The Compassionate Friends regarding support of the Parkland, Florida and Santa Fe, Texas communities in response to the recent school shootings. https://www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Debbie-Rambis-School-Shootings-Trauma-Response.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Mary Jane Cronin: Unexpected Change and How You Can Grow from Them
June 14, 2018
Lost a loved one and looking for hope? Join Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley in an interview with Mary Jane Cronin author and licensed counselor in a discussion of the impacts and opportunity for growth after loss. Join the conversation by texting in your questions. https://www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Mary-Jane-Cronin-Unexpected-Change-and-How-You-Can-Grow-from-Them.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Brooks Douglas: Choices: Forgiveness and Strength
June 7, 2018
Brooks Douglass is a film producer and actor, lawyer, businessman and former state senator in Oklahoma. In 1990, Douglass was elected as the youngest State Senator to serve in Oklahoma at age 27. His signature legislation was a 1992 bill championing the rights of crime victims. In 1979 Brooks and his sister Leslie saw their […]
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Deborah DeLisi: Grief: A Lifequake
April 12, 2018
Deborah DeLisi is a mother, artist and author whose life was plunged into shock and despair when her 29-year old daughter, Kate ended her life. Her book Lifequakes speaks to all of us of the intimate journey of grief and how to walk alongside fear and pain on the road to healing. She is the […]
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Sue Hamby: Finding Purpose
March 22, 2018
After finding her only son murdered, Dr. Sue Hamby found herself, shattered and on a difficult and painful grief journey. Even though the murderer has never been found, Dr. Hamby has found a new purpose in life which has helped transform her mourning into joy and her scars into stars. Her story offers hope and […]
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Dr. Christina Hibbert: Coping With Family Crisis
September 7, 2017
Dr. Christina Hibbert is a clinical psychologist and author specializing in women’s mental health, grief/loss, parenting, pregnancy, and personal growth. In 2007 her sister and brother-in-law died due to unfortunate cirmstances. Her family then doubled in size as they inherited two adorable nephews. Suddenly, she went from a mom of four children to six. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/29124453/Christina-Hibbert-.mp3Podcast: […]
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Jean Ann Williams: God’s Mercies After Suicide
July 27, 2017
Jean Ann Williams published a book on suicide loss after her youngest son Joshua took his own life in 2004. “God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart” is a devotional style memoir showing how God walked alongside her in the most difficult grieving journey of her life. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/17172019/Jean-Ann-Williams.mp3Podcast: Play in new window […]
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Amy Cooper : Overdose Prevention
July 13, 2017
Amy Cooper is a singer/songwriter and bereaved parent whose son died of an accidental overdose in 2014. She is the Outreach Director with the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse and is a member of the Santa Clara County Opioid Overdose Prevention Project Coalition. Her goal is to bring awareness and education regarding drug abuse […]
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Allen Roth: Overdose: Supporting Parents
May 11, 2017
Allen Roth’s 30-year-old daughter, Tammy, died from a drug overdose in 1995. In the aftermath, he became involved with The Compassionate Friends and is currently the group’s Regional Coordinator in Washington state. Over the years, he has observed in himself and others the progression from overwhelming grief to a balance of being open to joy […]
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Frank Campbell Topic: Bereavement Outreach
March 30, 2017
Dr. Campbell is a certified thanatologist and Suicidologist . He is a past president of the American Association of Suicidology, and in his 30 years in the field best known as the developer of the Active Postvention Model or The LOSSTeam (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) concept. www.lossteam.com http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/28064522/Frank-Campbell.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Dr. Frank Campbell: Bereavement Outreach
March 30, 2017
Dr. Campbell is a certified thanatologist and Suicidologist . He is a past president of the American Association of Suicidology, and in his 30 years in the field best known as the developer of the Active Postvention Model or The LOSSTeam (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) concept. www.lossteam.com http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/30055344/Frank-Campbell.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Heather Stang Topic: Calming Your Mind And Restoring Your Spirit Time
March 16, 2017
Heather Stang is the author of Mindfulness & Grief, and a contributor to Techniques of Grief Therapy: Assessment & Interventions. Her inspiration for helping others stems from her uncle’s death by suicide and her stepfather’s sudden death following a surgical procedure. She offers free guided meditations at MindfulnessAndGrief.com. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/28063840/Heather-Stang.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Allison Gilbert: Ways to Remember
February 2, 2017
Allison Gilbert is the author of Passed and Present, Parentless Parents and Always Too Soon. She is also coeditor of Covering Catastrophe, the definitive historical record of how broadcast journalists covered 9/11. Allison’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, and on NPR, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, and […]
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Sallie Lynch and Jim Giaccone: Losing A Sibling in a Terrorist attack
January 12, 2017
Sallie Lynch is the Development Consultant for Tuesday’s Children an organization formed in response to September 11, 200l. Tuesday’s Children is an organization supporting families and communities impacted by terrorism and traumatic loss. Jim Giaccone whose brother, Joseph was killed on September 11th is a volunteer mentor for Tuesday’s Children. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/04191716/Sallie-Lynch-and-Jim-Giaccone.mp3Podcast: Play in new window […]
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Karen Soltero: Sibling Loss
January 5, 2017
Karen Soltero is a bereaved sibling, having lost her younger sister Wendy in 2000 during a random robbery attempt in Hollywood. Karen is an active participant in The Compassionate Friends, leading workshops nationally since 2007. She is also involved with the Brady Campaign for the Prevention of Gun Violence. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/04191327/Karen-Soltero.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | […]
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Linda Goldman: Helping Grieving Children
December 22, 2016
Linda Goldman is an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins Graduate School and Kings College. Linda is the author of Lucy Let’s Go: Helping Children Love A Pet Through Death and Dying, Life and Loss, A Guide to Help Grieving Children, 3rd Edition, and Great Answers to Difficult Questions About Death
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Gabrielle Doucet – BSN, MBA: Reducing Stress After Loss
December 8, 2016
Gabrielle Doucet works with those who have lost loved ones to suicide. Through speaking engagements and her book, she is able to council others on managing their recovery, improving their health, and reducing stress through the mind-body connection. She is the author of Let Go and Let Love: Survivors of Suicide Loss Healing Handbook. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/05110502/Gabrielle-Doucet-MP3-for-Audio-Podcasting.mp3Podcast: […]
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Patrick Arbore: Helping Families Deal With Loss
July 21, 2016
Dr. Patrick Arbore, Ed.D., is the founder and director of the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief Related Services (CESP) a program of the Institute on Aging in San Francisco, CA. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on a variety of aging related topics. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/02102354/Patrick-Arbore.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | […]
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Charlene Cole: How Long will the Pain Last?
June 30, 2016
Charlene Cole is no stranger to loss. Her only child Joe was killed over thirty years ago and in 1998 her husband died by suicide. Charlene has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and is the author of How Long Will the Pain Last? Every Bereaved Parent Wants to Know. http://opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/02090949/Charlene-Cole.mp3Podcast: Play in new window […]
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Carolyn Zahnow: Teenage Depression and Suicide
May 26, 2016
Carolyn Zahnow is the bereaved parent of Cameron, who died by suicide in 2005. As the result of his death she is the founded the Shore Grief Center located in North Carolina. The Shore is a nonprofit that provides grief support groups to kids, teens and adults who have experienced a death. She is the […]
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Open to Hope TV
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Episode 136: Healing after School Shootings and Military Deaths
June 28, 2018
On this show Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley discuss with Mitch Carmody and Katherine Castelo the needs of families and communities after a sudden death. Gloria, Heidi and Mitch share their experience of participation in a day of healing for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community and Katherine discusses her work with TAPS, […]
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Episode 128: Coping with the High Profile Death of a Child
April 10, 2018
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley will interview Jamie Bright and Delain Johnson, about coping with the high profile death of a child, and how they coped. Danielle was murdered by her boyfriend. Delain is Vice President of Bereaved Parents USA, and a licensed counselor, specializing in grief and loss. Her […]
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Episode 122: How Two Mother’s Survived the Murder of Their Son’s
February 25, 2018
On this show Dr. Heidi Horsley and Alan Pedersen talk with Mary Jane Cronin and Dr. Sue Hamby, about the murders of their son’s, Jeremy and Ross, and how they survived their shocking loss, going on to author books, share their stories and provide counseling and comfort to others. The show closes with singer, songwriter, […]
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Episode 119: Building Resilience After Parent Loss
January 8, 2018
On this show Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley discuss adult parent loss with writer Allison Gilbert. Allison Gilberts books include, Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive, Parentless Parents, and Always Too Soon. The show closes with Anna Huckabee Tull, Master Life Coach and award-winning Singer-Songwriter singing a song celebrating the foundational […]
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Episode 108 :Supporting Suicide Survivors with Marilyn Koenig and Dr. Patrick Arbore
August 3, 2017
On this show Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley interview Marilyn Koenig bereaved parent, co-founder and Executive Director of Friends for Survival and Dr. Patrick Arbore founder of The Friendship Line regarding their work in prevention and support of suicide survivors. A video is shown of The Friendship Line. Alan Pedersen Executive Director of The […]
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Episode 96: Grief Healing: Twelve Steps with Richard Wood and Nisha Zenoff
December 23, 2016
Having a son killed in a fall is a traumatic experience. On this show Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley and Alan Pedersen discuss with Richard Wood of The Compassionate Friends and Nisha Zenoff their journeys through grief to again finding hope. Nisha is the author of THE UNSPEAKABLE LOSS: How Do You Live After […]
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Episode 89: Peer Support After Suicide with Eric Marcus and Franklin Cook
November 7, 2016
Are you looking for information on suicide loss? Do you know who is most at risk? Are you wondering how to find support for yourself or others? Then join Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley in an interview with Eric Marcus, NY Times bestselling author of Why Suicide and Franklin Cook founder of Personal Grief […]
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Episode 88: Male Grief: Sudden Traumatic Loss with Jim Giaccone, Franklin Cook and Eric Marcus
November 7, 2016
Have you or a male friend had a sudden or traumatic loss? Are you wondering how men cope? If so join Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley in a frank discussion of men and grief with Jim Giaccone, Franklin Cook and Eric Marcus. Jim’s brother Joe, died on 9/11 while Franklin and Eric suffered the […]
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Episode 82: Coping With Murder with Zander Sprague, Koshin Ellison and Robert Campbell
August 20, 2016
On this show Dr’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley interview Zander Sprague regarding the murder of his sister and the strong emotions of anger, shame and guilt experienced by survivors. Joining in the discussion of forgiveness and hope are Buddhist Monks, Koshin Paley Ellison, Robert Chodo Campbell, and Jeffery Sirkman, Senior Rabbi of Larchmont Temple. The […]
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Episode 76: Loss after the Battle of Substance Abuse
June 3, 2016
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Alan Pedersen, Executive Director of the Compassionate Friends, interview Dianna Lynn bereaved mother of both Josh and Logan and Nancy Juracka bereaved mother of Lance regarding how they found hope after their children’s death by substance abuse. The show closes with Alan singing A Little Farther Down the […]
