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Dear friend,
We have a variety of different media in this month's newsletter: a radio interview featuring one of our regular authors, Kelly Farley (Grieving Dads Project); Radha Stern shares her "healing" after the murder of her son; Annie Mitchell from Scotland, a parent with no surviving children, writes about the suicide death of her son; another theme that seems all too frequent lately is Ann Goffe's article about the overdose death of her son.
I am very excited to introduce to many of you my friend and gifted artist, Nancy Gershman. She is one of several Bereavement Artists that I will be featuring in the coming months. If you are looking for a very personal and beautiful way to remember your child or children who have died, consider reading Nancy's story.
We also feature the latest issue of the Q.U.I.L.T. newsletter (Quietly United in Loss Together) for families who have experienced a pregnancy or infant child death, a poem shared by a friend of Dianne Martin's son who died in a tragic accident, a request for help on a research project by a bereaved father, a poem by Tom Wyatt, and three new books for our Good Grief Books section.
My father often quoted to me when things didn't happen as I had hoped:
"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men, Gang aft agley," (by Robert Burns, (1785) or to paraphrase, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry". Sorry this issue wasn't published last month.
Much love, many HUGS. 
Peggy Sweeney, Editor
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My True Journey (no surviving Children)
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 My journey began on 6th February 2000, which tore my insides apart. My son, Finlay Sinclair, age 26 years decided he had had enough of life and died through suicide. For almost two years after his death I was in denial, I refused to accept I would never see my child again. I went out my way to avoid any outside contact with friends and family or anyone who wanted to offer me their help. I believed I could cope on my own, so I pushed away any help offered to me. I finally realized I needed to seek professional help when the nightmares every night and the forgetfulness began to affect my daily life. |
BEREAVEMENT ARTISTS
Introducing Nancy Gershman
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For the Love of Daniel (drug overdose)
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 My sonDaniel was a walking enigma, a charismatic bundle of contradictions. He lived his life with the sensitivity of an angel and the self-destructiveness of a demon. By his early teens he was diagnosed with bi polar and anxiety disorders, ADD and alcohol dependency. By his late teens he was a high school dropout and an opiate addict. To the world he bore all the trappings of failure. But to his close knit, far flung friends he was a legend and a star, an irreplaceable, unforgettable friend. Daniel died from a drug overdose on the night of June 21, 2011. |
 Sometimes it's hard to pick her up and give Her the hugs that she needs; She looks so much like Johnny, oh God help Me please. I still wait for him to come downstairs Dripping wet after his bath; Telling a joke, crossing his eye, anything To make me laugh. |
Subscribe to Our Other Newsletters and
Coursework in Grief: A Study in Healing
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 The Road Less Traveled
general loss and grief articles
Grieving Behind the Badge
emergency responders, department chaplains and CISM/D teams
Coursework in Grief: A Lesson in Healing
a free, online study program
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INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
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 A research study is being conducted to gain a greater understanding of the experiences of bereaved parents. The purpose of this study is to expand on existing knowledge and potentially reduce the isolation experienced by the bereaved. Selected participants will include biological and adoptive parents, who have experienced the death of a child, and whose child was between the ages of 2 and 12 at the time of death. |
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One Day My Life Was Completely Normal And Then...
(child homicide)
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 One day my life was completely normal. I was making lunch for my brother, Abram, who was visiting me from New Jersey, and my best friend, Bettina, when the doorbell rang. I answered it, with my apron on, to a man from the Sheriff's department. He informed me that another officer needed to speak with me, and told me to call a number he handed to me.
With the Sheriff's officer looking over my shoulder, I phoned, and heard someone say "coroner's office" on the other end. I could barely speak. A voice informed me that my son was dead...that he had been shot four times by his school roommate during an argument about dishes.
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 I see and read here 'so many' remembrances for sons and daughters who have passed over. Our son, Neil Edward Martin, died after a fatal climbing accident on a mountain peak near our home in Revelstoke BC Canada on September 5, 2011 - our youngest of 3 sons, born May 2, 1986 - he was just 25. His friend, Brandon, wrote this. Brandon was with him when he fell. I cry every time I read it, the trauma that friends feel is so real I thought perhaps sharing this with other traumatized friends and parents may help. Brandon sent us this on Neil's birthday the first year. Brandon has agreed to share this with anyone who bows to their heart with grief. |
Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back
with Author Kelly Farley (radio interview) |
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Kelly has a passion for helping people "pick up the pieces" after a profound life event. He presents workshops and works as a personal recovery coach as a way to help people put their life back together. Kelly commits his time to connecting with and advocating for bereaved parents.
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 The Continuing Ripples of Living Beyond Suicide
by Kaylene Donohue
Even today there remains a lot of stigma attached to suicide. But as tragic as the act itself may be, for every one person who commits suicide, there are many others left behind. The Continuing Ripples of Living Beyond Suicide tells the stories of some people who have also lost someone to suicide. Author Kaylene Donohue is all-too-familiar with this tragic phenomenon. Having lost her first cousin, younger brother, and three of her own children to suicide, Kaylene struggled to pick up the pieces and move on with her life.
 I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy by Angie Smith
In 2008, Angie Smith and her husband Todd (lead singer of the group Selah) learned through ultrasound that their fourth daughter had conditions making her "incompatible with life." Advised to terminate the pregnancy, the Smiths chose instead to carry this child and allow room for a miracle. That miracle came the day they met Audrey Caroline and got the chance to love her for the precious two-and-a-half hours she lived on earth.
 Holding Back the Tears
by Annie Mitchell
The author, a bereaved parent, puts all her energy and time into devoting herself to her writing and promoting books, her
aim is to help others who have lost a loved one. You can sit back and do absolutely nothing to help your bereavement grief loss situation and continue to feel the pain for longer with choosing not to try to help yourself. Or you can choose to learn new ways of coping and accepting your loss and pain by using trial and error coping skills. Read Annie's story in this issue!
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The Sweeney Alliance, a Texas-based 501(c)(3) corporation, has been a leader in educational resources addressing the emotional needs of families and emergency responders since 1992. In the last 2+ years, we have published over 385 articles on loss and grief, post traumatic stress and other "hot topics". We currently have over 1,450 newsletter subscribers. All newsletters are free of charge. Your donation today will help us continue as a FREE publication. Thank you!
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Copyright © The Sweeney Alliance 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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