Grappling with Grief

Losing a Loved One: Ta’Shay Mason

by Shandi Pace   Ta’Shay Mason experienced tremendous grief at a very young age. Her father passed away on December 12, 1986, after getting in a car accident. She remembers her dad being funny, loving and present despite living in a different state with her stepmother. One day after school, Ta’Shay’s mother told her to sit […]

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Overcoming Loss at a Young Age

by Shandi Pace   Abe, Gus and Rudy Peña all battled their weight growing up. This weight gain came from a combination of their Mexican culture and the easiness of eating junk food. Their dad was a welder that worked long days. It was easier for everyone to bring home fast food rather than trying […]

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From Priest to Father of a Transgender Son

by Shandi Pace   Open-mindedness can be a difficult trait for some to have. Not Rick Prashaw, journalist to a Catholic priest to loving father. After attending Carlton University, Rick decided to become a Roman Catholic priest. Eventually, Rick left the priesthood because he wanted to settle down and start a family. Rick and his wife […]

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9/11 and Loss: Allison Gilbert

by Shandi Pace   Like many Americans, Allison Gilbert will never forget September 11, 2001. She was working as a television producer for WNBC-TV in New York. That tragic day, Allison went downtown to meet with the reporter she was assigned to help cover the unfolding events. As the second tower from the World Trade Center came […]

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A Father’s Wisdom Outlasts His Life

by Shandi Pace   As two teenagers, Abby Fabiaschi and her friend Elizabeth were trying to figure life out. On the day before freshman year came to an end, Elizabeth was involved in a car crash and tragically lost her life. At the age of 15, Abby experienced the death of her grandmother, aunt and now, […]

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Late Sister Continues to Inspire

by Shandi Pace   Tracy Bell passed away at the age of 29 after battling a rare form of cancer. For several years, her sister Dina Bell-Laroche struggled to find an outlet to help her cope with Tracy’s loss. That outlet came one day when she was least expecting it. When Tracy passed away in […]

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Loss, Cancer and Infertility: Jenny Hahne

by Shandi Pace   Wellness-junkie Jenny Hahne has a remarkable story of resilience. Her mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) when Jenny was a young girl. By the time her mother passed away, she was in an unbearable amount of pain. Jenny was inspired by her mom to enjoy life, travel and live well […]

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Surviving Sandy Hook: Scarlett Lewis

by Shandi Pace   The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting is one that will remain in everyone’s memories for years to come. This is certainly the case for Scarlett Lewis, a single mother of two. She lost her youngest son Jesse that day. On December 14, 2012, a man shot and killed 26 people, including […]

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Tragedy to Triumph: Frankie Williams

by Shandi Pace   Frankie Williams lost her daughter Shauntae from undiagnosed heart disease at the age of 36-years-old. Her death took the family by complete surprise and changed everything. Shauntae was a loving girl who always needed mom by her side. “She needed me, and I needed her.” To help her cope with the […]

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Losing a Friend: Sean Ross Sapp

by Shandi Pace   The distance between Ewing and Germantown, Kentucky, is a mere 30 minutes, but the connection between the two would last a lifetime. Sean Ross Sapp met Cheyenne Scott in nearby Maysville, Kentucky, as young adults. Their friendship began when Cheyenne stood up for Sean at a party they both attended. As […]

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