MY STORY
I know firsthand that grief changes everything.
It reshapes time, identity, relationships, and the way life is experienced from one moment to the next. For many people, it can feel like the world continues moving while everything inside has come to a standstill.
I obtained certification as a Grief and Bereavement Specialist through University of Vermont
I have seen how isolating grief can be—not only in the early days after a loss, but in the long stretches of time that follow. I’ve witnessed how often people feel pressure to “be okay,” even when they are still trying to find their footing. And I’ve seen how difficult it can be to know where to turn when support feels either too clinical, too distant, or simply not available in the way it’s needed.
Grief doesn’t need to be rushed, fixed, or organized into stages. It needs presence and space. Grief needs someone who can stay with you in the moment you are actually in, not the one you are expected to be in.
That understanding is what led to the creation of Moment by Moment Grief Support.
This work was built around a simple belief: when one day feels like too much, support can begin with a single moment. Not looking too far ahead, not trying to force meaning or resolution—just steady, compassionate presence in the here and now.
My approach is grounded in emotional support, gentle guidance, and practical tools that meet you where you are. Some moments may call for conversation and processing. Others may simply call for grounding, quiet understanding, or help getting through what feels overwhelming
Grief is not something to be solved. It is something to be supported.
Whether you are navigating a recent loss, living with long-term grief, preparing for a loss that is coming, or trying to support someone you care about, you do not have to move through it alone or figure it out by yourself.
You are allowed to take it moment by moment, and you do not have to do that in isolation.
My focus is not on moving people through grief, but on helping them feel less alone within it—one moment at a time.
My sons life and the love I continue to carry for him are at the heart of this work. As my first born, Jermaine taught me more about love than I could ever fully express and after his death, I found myself navigating a path I never expected to walk. In the years that followed, I began supporting other parents who had experienced the loss of a child both in person, and through an online support group for bereaved parents.
Through both my personal experience and years of walking alongside others in grief, I came to understand how meaningful it is to have compassionate support through grief. That journey eventually led me to obtain certification as a grief and bereavement specialist which then led me to create Moment by Moment Grief Support, where I now have the privilege of supporting others in their own grief.
Jermaine’s life continues to inspire the work I do today.
Community Presence
Over time, my personal journey through loss extended into a wider commitment to supporting communities impacted by loss, tragedy, and crisis through volunteer and advocacy work.
These experiences have shaped how I understand loss, community, and the importance of compassionate presence in moments of crisis.
Annual Candle Lighting Ceremony to honor those gone too soon
In December 2013, I hosted my first Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting. I continue to host these events annually.
This was my first public event since my sons passing in July 2013
My Start to Drowning Prevention Advocacy
In May 2014, officially joining as a board member for the non-profit organization that promotes drowning prevention and water safety, I attended my first volunteer event with Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. A press conference in Chicago to announce the launch of a Great Lakes Water Safety campaign in partnership with the Chicago Park District, Ohio DNR and Illinois DNR, alongside other families and friends of Great Lakes drowning victims. The launch was also in coordination with the Great Lakes Commissions “Beach Safety Awareness Week” and the National Weather Service’s “Rip Current Awareness Week”.
In June 2014, I sponsored and hosted the first of many drowning prevention—water safety training classes locally.
In 2015, I won National Drowning Prevention Alliance Lifesaver of the Year Award for my advocacy.
I then won the 2016 Superhero of the Year Award presented by the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium.
In July 2014, I hosted my first Red Cross Blood Drive in honor of Jermaine.
In August 2014, I adopted a section of Interstate 90 in honor of Jermaine.
In September 2014, I, along with my youngest son, co-hosted a water safety booth with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project at the inaugural “Because I said I would” conference in Columbus, Ohio. Here I also made a promise to do all I could to prevent drownings.
In September 2015, I created an online support group for parents of child loss, later facilitating in-person meetings.
Also in September 2015, I joined the Ashtabula County LOSS Team, a group that reaches out to survivors of tragic accident victims
In October 2022, I joined Team Rubicon, a non-profit organization that delivers impactful disaster relief nationwide, supporting communities through crisis.
With Team Rubicon, I have deployed numerous times to Florida to aid in hurricane relief, Puerto Rico to aid in flood disaster, as well as multiple local operations for tornado and flood damage.
If you feel ready for support, I welcome you to reach out. You do not have to have the right words or know exactly what you need—just a place to begin.
From there, we can take it one moment at a time together.