Kim and Kara talk about ambiguous grief with Heather Straughter and the ways grief and trauma are so intimately cooccurring. 

Heather Straughter (said like “daughter”), was a Special Education Inclusion teacher in Roxbury, Massachusetts for nearly 10 years before moving to Saratoga Springs, NY with her husband Brian and growing family. Her first child Ethan was born in 2005 and her second Jake was born in 2006. Both boys were healthy and vibrant; then, when Jake was eight months old, he had a seizure that changed the families lives forever. 

They spent 117 days in the hospital before going home. At that point Jake had lost all his milestones. They continued to advocate for their son and made sure that he got the care he needed to thrive – despite the fact that doctors were never able to diagnose him. When Jake was 4-years-old he suddenly passed away. In the chaos of that grief the non-profit “Jake’s Help from Heaven” was born. 

In the 13 years since his death the small non-profit has awarded $1.7 Million dollars to 1,000 medically fragile individuals – mostly children – who live within a 100 mile radius of Saratoga Springs, NY. Many of them come back year after year, with new needs as they age. 

Heather’s story is one of resilience and determination in the face of unimaginable loss. 

Heather's CTA: Listen to "A Place of Yes"

Learn more from Heather: @Jakeshelp

Jake's Help From Heaven

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