Out of the Darkness

There is no greater loss than that of a child. It does not matter how old the child was or the circumstances of their death, a parent's grief feels unbearable. Every year, in the US alone, 44,226 parents lose a child under the age of 19. Worldwide, it's a staggering 6.3 million newly bereaved parents every year. Those numbers do not include parents who lose adult children, whose pain is no different than those who lose young children. These parents are all thrown into a world they never expected to be in and certainly don't want to be a part of. Yet they have no choice. No frame of reference. No idea how to navigate the storm. They are deeply in pain and often feel very alone and lost in their experience. Just as a lighthouse is a beacon, shedding light and guiding ships through the darkness, so is this book. It is a guide, a companion, a source of help and hope, to assist you and them in the most difficult journey of their life. This book is your lighthouse. It is for the parents who have had to say goodbye to their children, those who love them and support them, and those who work with them in a professional capacity. It is a source of truth, support, experience, explanation, validation, reassurance, and hope that they can and will get through their grief, this most difficult of experiences, without ever forgetting about their child or the love they shared. Whether you are a bereaved parent, family member, or, perhaps a friend, co-worker or professional who works with the bereaved, this book was written for you... a source of information, support, resources, and strategies for coping and healing after the death of a child. Wherever you are in your grief journey, you will find valuable information in these pages. It is a guide to help you find your way out of the darkness and into a place of color and light again, where you will weave your child's memory into the fabric of your life and hold them in your heart forever.