On the way there, I remember telling my husband, “I don’t know if I’m going to survive this.” We lost our precious son, age 10, three weeks prior. The pain was so deep and hurt so bad for so long. I wasn’t sure about this place as my husband was the one who made the contacts with them, etc. Upon arrival and meeting Karri & Denny, that hopelessness lifted. We immediately shared our story with them, although it was hard, it began to help us heal. I remember them sitting telling their story and seeing the word HOPE above them on the mantle, and thinking to myself, there really is HOPE…they survived their loss, I can get through this. They walked us through many difficult conversations that we were afraid of having, but they gave us permission to have. They were healing to us and we would have never had those conversations without them guiding us. Thank you for sharing your love, your words, your hospitality, your wisdom and your genuine care with us. We will be forever grateful.
After we lost our daughter, we had these horrible emotions and thoughts. We thought we were the only ones who had them. After spending time with Karri and Denny, we realized that we aren’t alone. We now feel like we can actually grieve and not feel guilty about it.
No one wanted to be here, but you are. My advice would be to open up because once you do you’ll feel a lot better and this retreat will help. Karri and Denny are very helpful and they get what you’re going through. I pray that your stay is helpful and your grief becomes bearable one day.
It was a turning point in our grief journey. Time on retreat gave us tools to sort through our grief and make peace with our pain. We are so grateful that this important ministry is now available in South Dakota.
As a Clinical Nurse Specialist who works with families of children who die, I recognize the emotional stress families experience after a loss of a child or sibling. As they walk the journey of grief, families find value in connecting with other families who have a common experience. Families are able to share and heal together as they walk this journey of grief.
It's been a blessing to meet someone that has gone through the same thing. It's amazing how many friendships and connections we've made through the Walk to Remember Event. It's a great way to heal and talk about your story and hear other people's stories and be able to heal together.