When my husband Rick died in 1989 at the age of 33, I was left to raise our two young children, Barb and Ricky. Though I had incredible support from family and friends, I realized that I needed to meet other people whose life partner had died. There wasn’t much in terms of grief support for young families, so I set out to get the support I needed and at the same time support others.. Together with several other young widowed people, we offered support groups beginning in 1991, and in 2000 The Healing Center in Seattle, WA was founded.

I received inquiries on a regular basis about whether there was something like The Healing Center in other towns and cities throughout the US and even in other parts of the world. At that time, the best I could do was share local Hospice contact info with the people who were inquiring. It wasn’t much, but I hoped that they would find support or start something themselves. 

I dreamed of being able to help widowed families all over the world. Then the internet and social media arrived and the possibility of worldwide support became a reality. In 2009 Michele Neff Hernandez reached out to me and to many others who were doing the work, to share her wild idea of offering a conference for widowed people. I realized that my dream was a shared dream and in the last 13 years, that dream has become a reality.

Please consider making a donation to keep this support growing. It has been a challenging year for grieving people. Soaring Spirits International has pivoted to offer virtual support to widowed people all over the world, including support for people who have been widowed by Covid. 

I am honored to be part of this incredible organization. Please join me in helping us reach our goal of making support available in this country and around the world. People die, but love does not die. It is recycled from one heart, from one life, to another. In honor of our people, let’s continue to change the world. 

Take good care!

Kath