What is one way you honor your grief?

One way in which I honor my grief is being accepting of my emotions and not expecting that I should be feeling a certain way at a specific time. As the years pass, I find I do a lot more smiling as I remember my late wife and am so thankful for the years we had together and the imprint she left on our lives.

What is one activity that you and your loved one would enjoy doing together?

We loved to travel. We recognized that our time together would be shorter than either of us hoped so we made sure to travel as much as possible before her passing.

What is a food you and your loved one would share together?

Sushi! We loved to go out for sushi. We prioritized date nights and sushi was often our go to meal.

What is one word you would use to describe Brooke’s Place?

Family.

What is your history/story/connection to Brooke’s Place?

My late wife was diagnosed with cancer at 24 so we knew having children might not be possible. I’ve always wanted to be a dad so when I came across the opportunity to volunteer for Brooke’s Place, it was an easy choice. My first exposure was helping to write a grant application and from then on, I have been hooked. I first joined the board almost 18 years ago and was a board member when my wife passed. As the single dad of a then 6-year-old, I knew I needed some help so my daughter, and I became a Brooke’s Place family in 2012. A-Nights at St. Luke’s were critical in helping us walk through our grief journey. Most importantly, it helped my daughter see, and feel, that she was not alone. I rolled off the board in 2013 and we continued as a Brooke’s Place family into 2014. Because of our loss, I found others experiencing loss would reach out for help or suggestions. They could hardly finish their question before I would start singing Brooke’s Place’s praises. Because of this, I was continually talking about Brooke’s Place and realized it was time to formally get back involved. I rejoined the board in 2018 and since 2019, my daughter and I have been Buddies on A-Night. Where we were once grabbing pizza for dinner before group, we were now on the other side of the table serving those families. It was a small way to give back for all the good Brooke’s Place gave to us.