Valerie's House is an amazing resource for the community and has been a place that has personally impacted my life.

Like many other parents trying to navigate mental health for our children from our recent world changes, I was hit with limited resources as waiting lists and support systems closed down. After 2 1/2 years of Hospice, my family and I said goodbye to our Hero and my husband of 29 years. He passed on 1/23/2019. Six months later, I found myself saying goodbye to my first grandson, who was five weeks old.

The hardest part of my grief was to be there for my children. My youngest daughter had to say goodbye to dad her freshman year. That stress had left her trying to be normal in school when nothing in life was normal anymore. The first time I walked into Valerie's House, I felt a huge weight fall away, and people greeted us with compassion and kindness. I cried later that night, but they were tears of relief. I just knew that I no longer felt I was the only one concerned about the effects of grief on my daughter. I was thrilled that there was a good amount of adolescents for my daughter to identify with. After the first few visits, she was asking to go back. She has connected with others who get it, has even started isolating less, her school involvement has improved. She is starting to focus on future goals. This Jan 23 will be three years since my husband passed away from the effects of Agent Orange, and until I went to Valerie's House, I didn't realize that my own grief process was impacted.

I realized that Valerie's House had become a home. I no longer journey alone as I look forward to group nights and community activities with other parents who hurt for their own loss but also parents who hurt trying to help their children. Together, we support and help each other through the rough days, celebrate memories of loved ones, and pass onto others the strength that it's possible to get through one more day.

Judith Regan.