Bluegrass Care Navigators Offers Hope, Support and Connection to Grieving Family
In 2024, the Coleman family’s world was shattered with a devastating cancer diagnosis and unexpected loss of Jessica, devoted wife and mother. Kyle and his three daughters were overwhelmed by grief and the daily reminders of life without her. They connected with Bluegrass Care Navigators’ (BCN) grief team whose compassionate support and counseling helped the family find comfort, connection and the tools to heal together.
“You never know how grief is going to hit you, and Susan, our grief counselor, was very helpful to give me and my girls the tools we needed to navigate these moments as they came,” Kyle said. “The care we received from day one is just beyond words.”
Kyle not only faced the heartbreak of losing his wife of 13 years, but also the challenge of guiding his daughters, ages 12, 9, and 5, through their own grief. Susan equipped his family with meaningful tools to openly share their feelings as they navigated their healing journey together. With Susan’s support, his daughters gained the confidence to ask difficult questions, and Kyle learned how to respond in honest, age-appropriate ways, strengthening their ability to communicate and support one another through loss.
“The hardest part for me is that I would feel like she was still in the house with us, and the knowledge that she wasn’t there was really hard for me,” daughter Makenna said. “I felt like I was alone.”
Makenna, her sister Mia, and dad Kyle, began working with BCN’s grief team. Each sister scheduled one-on-one sessions with Susan McVey (MSW, LCSW), Bereavement Counselor in the Frankfort Region. During their sessions, the girls participated in a variety of memory making activities, read poems and stories that encouraged them to express their emotions, and learned coping skills, such as coloring, journaling or breathing exercises.
“People come into the office, and they are struggling with losing their soulmate, parent, or a beloved child, and I always feel honored when they allow me to participate in their healing process,” Susan said.
Last Christmas, Susan encouraged each girl to participate in a memory treasure hunt by asking their family questions about Jessica, such as: "What was her favorite Christmas ornament?", "What was her favorite carol?", or "What was her favorite Christmas food?" Each family member gave different answers and shared unique memories. Susan and the girls wrote down all the questions, cut them out, and created a special ornament for each family member, displaying their personal answers.
During the summer of 2024, the Coleman family also participated in Camp Hope, which is a free, one-day children’s bereavement camp for children ages 6-17, who have experienced the death of a loved one in the last two years. Camp provides an opportunity for children and their caregivers to express their grief and develop effective coping strategies in a fun, safe and supportive environment.
“Camp Hope was so much fun,” Makenna said. “My favorite was the equine therapy and getting to interact with other kids who were also going through loss made us comfortable to share with each other and helped me know that I was not alone.”
Although the family continues to grieve, thanks to Bluegrass Care Navigators, they are finding hope.
“I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support that you give to BCN so they can continue to provide free community grief counseling,” Kyle said. “Susan and the team helped me navigate through this first year as a dad, husband and a person. We miss Jessica dearly, and her loss will always be part of my life, but thanks to the grief care I received, my journey doesn’t end here. I hope you’ll continue to support other families like mine and continue to love and support your community.”
The Bluegrass Grief Care program is available free of charge to anyone in the community who has experienced the loss of a loved one, and offers various programs, including Camp Hope, support groups, holiday workshops, and individual grief counseling. The grief care program is only possible due to the kindness and generosity of grant funding, community partners, and donor support.
“When I work with a child, it is so helpful when I can go to my shelf and give them a journal to write about their loved one,” Susan said. “We do a lot of art activities using crayons, paint or other craft items. These supplies have to come from somewhere. We’re very grateful for every pen, pencil and marker that comes through the door and for our generous donors who support children in our community experiencing grief for the first time.”
