Veronica Morley knows what it’s like to grow up without a father. Her dad died when she was a teenager. Veronica is now a mother of two daughters and is walking a new part of her grief journey with them.

From left to Right: Caprice, Veronica, and Coral

Veronica is a Valerie’s House- Naples caregiver grieving the loss of her husband. He died suddenly of unexpected heart complications in August 2016. She and her two teenage daughters, Coral and Caprice, have been attending group night since mid-2017 to grieve their loss.

“Valerie’s House has been a saving grace to my family,” Veronica said. “I do know what it feels like to grieve as a child, and Valerie’s House has become my safe space. It’s a place where I can openly be a widow.”

After the loss of her husband, Veronica began to withdraw from her friends and family. Valerie’s House has given her and her children a place to freely talk about their grief and express their emotions. Veronica is grateful that her girls will not have to feel alone in their grief like she did as a child.

“One of the first experiences my daughters had at Valerie’s House was realizing that this happens to a lot of people. That alone was a huge relief,” Veronica said. “It’s important for them to know they are not the only ones going through this.”

Veronica strives to keep the memory of her husband alive by talking about him and honoring his life. Coral and Caprice also have yearly traditions to remember their father. Their favorite is when they release balloons with notes attached to them on his birthday and on the day he died.

“When my husband died, my foundation was moved out of my feet, and it felt like I was in quicksand,” Veronica said. “I tell my girls that life is not supposed to be easy. But, life is full of happy moments. Valerie’s House has encouraged us to be strong and to keep on going.”