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Remembering Ryan Blog #14
“Just as you knew you loved him and could remember him on demand before he died, the same will be true now and into the rest of your life.” – Karen Nicola I fear losing memories… especially of Ryan. It is said that after people die, it is their voice that people usually forget first.…
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Visiting Texas – Blog #13
I met Jason at a restaurant in Dallas. Jason was the one that was holding the gun when it went off and shot Ryan. My mother went with me. I was so nervous to meet him. I could tell he was scared when I saw him. We hugged and he said he was sorry. I…
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Why Blog? Why Now? – Blog #6
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary..” – Fred Rogers I want to start by telling you all how wonderful it feels to write these blogs! I have had people reach out…
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The Shattered Club – Blog #5
Nobody wants to be in the grieving parents club! As a parent, losing your child is the most dreaded nightmare of all. My kids were raised in a very small community. There were less than 500 students K-12 at the time they attended school. The families were tight knit, as most of the kids knew…
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Grieving Publicly – Blog #4
Society puts a timeline on grief. Most organizations that give bereavement leave to employees offer 3 to 5 days per year. That usually doesn’t include pay. Of course, most employers will allow more time, but that means when you come back, you had better be “over” the grief. You can’t be stuck in grief. You…
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My Husband’s Suicide – Blog #3
My Husband’s Suicide Neal was the funniest person I knew. That is how he captured my heart. He made me laugh everyday, usually at myself! He was so brilliant. You never wanted to play trivia pursuit with him… somehow he always knew the answers! Actually, you could not play any game with him without him…
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The Accident – Blog #2
My son, Ryan, died 7/7/2013 at age 24 after being accidentally shot while at his girlfriend’s family reunion in the Fort Worth area. This is the story of the accident… Growing up in Wyoming, Ryan loved hunting and target shooting! He collected guns and was teaching his new girlfriend to target shoot. They had only…
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Losing My Son – Blog #1
My son died July 7th, 2013, he was 24. Grief is scary for me and I always have felt judged while grieving, like I have a mental illness that is somehow contagious. It has taken me awhile to learn that grief is not synonymous with depression. Losing a loved one does not cause illness, it…
Opening Up After Life's Traumatic Experiences
Life after childhood cancer, abuse, family addictions, death of my son, suicide of my husband, and more.