After the loss of her husband, Jorge or “Papi” as they called him, Marissa found herself navigating a world filled with grief and the deep desire to support her daughters, Abby and Elena, through their own loss. When she was introduced to The WARM Place, she didn’t know what to expect, but what she found became a source of comfort, tools, and community for her entire family.
How did you hear about The WARM Place? What were your feelings about bringing Abby and Elena initially?
When my husband first passed away, I reached out to our preacher. Aside from asking if there was anything I needed at the moment, he told me there were two resources he highly encouraged me to look into; one of them being the WARM Place. Since I was unfamiliar with the place, I did some research online to learn more and was impressed by the level of support that was provided to grieving families. I didn’t know what to expect initially, but the warm welcome we received on the phone and at our introduction meeting helped me feel like we were at the right place to help us in the long journey ahead. Being new to a loss this big, the absence of the love of our life, Papi, I didn’t know how I was going to support our girls and keep myself moving forward. However, I was open to getting help and the WARM place did just that for us.
In what ways has coming to The WARM Place and participating in multiple sessions of the Pre-K program benefitted Elena?
Elena had the opportunity to be open about her feelings in a setting where she met other children her age who were experiencing loss as well. She got to see that she wasn’t alone in coping with such a big life change. That’s what I wanted most for my girls, for them to know that there are communities who have an idea of what they’re going through. With each session, there was a specific focus that would allow Elena to express her feelings and add to her lifelong “toolbox” of strategies for dealing with
situations.
How has participating in the adult group helped you personally? How has it helped you in supporting the girls after the death of their father?
The adult group has been the best thing I could’ve had the opportunity to experience. Losing the love of my life has left me completely heartbroken, but having a place where I can be honest and open about daily challenges, feelings, and dealing with the heaviness of grief has been so helpful for me mentally. With each activity, discussion, opportunity to reflect, I get the chance to work through my own thoughts and feelings and build my own strategies “toolbox.” We get to learn how others push forward through their own hardships and have a safe place to build community with people who are experiencing something similar to us. I’ve often described the WARM place as a security blanket that has played such a big role in helping me stay afloat and keep moving forward for our family.
Are there traditions or special things you and the girls do together to remember Papi?
Papi was, is and will always be a big part of our days. We remember him in our morning and evening prayers every day. Jorge was all about the outdoors, exploring, and adventures, so we continue to incorporate these activities as we’re able to. Along with four other families, who we consider our family, we love to go on bike rides, explore new places to hike, visit state parks, and enjoy campouts. New Years day 2024 was the last New Years day we celebrated together as a family of four. It was also the first day we got to experience the first day hike at the Dinosaur Valley state park. We had such a great time that we continue to bring in the new year with a hike at the state park in memory of our beloved Papi. On our walks, we love to make connections to memories we share with Jorge. Our girls were so little when he passed away, it’s imperative for me to keep his memory alive and strong, so they never forget the man who loved them with all his heart; his “chulas” (cute girls) as he’d call them.
What would you say to someone who is on the fence about attending group?
The WARM place is a safe space that allows you to be open and honest with what you are experiencing as you grieve the loss of someone you love deeply. As you adjust to such a big life change, having a community like this is necessary. The WARM place gives you the tools to stay afloat the big waves that come with grief and the challenges that arise with adjusting to the different tempo of life. As a parent, your progress highly impacts the progress of your children. I highly recommend visiting the WARM place– you have nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.
