Heather Tharpe’s world came to a standstill after the sudden loss of her husband, Matt, in 2014.

Six and a half years ago, he suffered a heart attack and died unexpectedly. Heather and her daughter Hailey were determined to keep his memory alive and attending group nights at Valerie’s House allowed them to do that.

“Valerie’s House has allowed me to connect with other families who have gone through similar experiences,” Heather said. “It has helped me know that I am not alone on this journey.”

Hailey was six years old when her father died, and her thirteenth birthday is quickly approaching.

When she first learned about Valerie’s House, Hailey had never met another child her age who had lost a parent. After attending her first peer grief support group, she realized that this was a place where she belonged.

“Valerie’s House has helped me realize I wasn’t alone and that I had someone,” Hailey said. “It really helped me.”

Both Hailey and Heather have learned that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. The mother and daughter duo gained a new understanding of their individual grief and continue to heal from their loss every day.

“Hailey has become more open [to talking] about her dad and her loss,” Heather said. “She was always an empathetic kid but has become even more so.”

Heather is especially proud of Hailey for learning how to express her feelings in a positive way. Hailey is even beginning to step up as a leader within her peer grief support groups.

“She is able to share her experience and help others with their grief journey,” said Heather. “[She is] getting ready to spread her wings into the real world.”

Heather is also getting to embark on a new endeavor – she is joining the Valerie’s House team as Business Manager in March 2021. Angela Melvin, Founder & CEO of Valerie’s House, is always excited when a member of a Valerie’s House family becomes a good fit for a role on staff. When the need for this new, full-time position became apparent, having Heather take it on seemed like the perfect solution.

“Families who come to us in their time of need know exactly what it’s like to lose someone, so having people on our team who understand the loss our families are going through is so valuable,” said Angela.