Four years ago, our family experienced a devastating loss when my husband unexpectedly passed away. The practical realities of daily life did not pause, and neither did the needs of two growing boys trying to make sense of something that made no sense at all.

What carried us forward was support.

One of the greatest gifts we received was access to counseling through the Littleton Public Schools Foundation Mental Health Resource Fund. Knowing therapy was available without financial barriers removed an enormous weight. It allowed us to focus on healing rather than logistics.

For my sons, having a consistent, trusted space to process their emotions was invaluable. Adolescence is already a lot. Grief layered on top of it can feel overwhelming. The right support, at the right time, helped stabilize our home.

For me, as a parent, it meant we were not navigating the hardest season of our lives alone. It meant that when we needed help, help was available.

What I did not anticipate was how profoundly that support would shape the next chapter of my life. The healing made possible the restoration of clarity and strength in me as a leader and as a mother. That renewal empowered me to launch Love Wins Collective®, a leadership and culture development organization, and ultimately Love Wins Foundation™, built on the belief that no one should have to grieve alone.

According to the Judi’s House 2025 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model, 1 in 11 children in the U.S. will lose a parent or sibling before turning 18. That number was personal to me long before I could name it. Access to mental health support for grieving families is not optional. It is essential.

Reduced-fee and no-cost counseling is not just a service. It is a lifeline. It sends a powerful message to families in crisis: you matter, and your well-being matters.

We offer deep gratitude to the therapist who walked alongside our family when we needed it most. You changed the trajectory of our lives.

I see the ripple effects of that support every day. In the work I now carry forward. In my son studying engineering at the University of Denver. In my son heading to the Leeds School of Business at CU this fall. In young men who built resilience not by avoiding hard things, but by having support when it mattered most. Because when support shows up right on time, healing takes root, love wins, and legacy follows.

Thank You.