About The Grief After | Funeral Planning Support

Why The Grief After?

This space was created from lived experience, compassion, and a deep understanding of what families are asked to carry when loss arrives unexpectedly.

I have been surrounded by grief from a young age, but everything changed during one of the most vulnerable moments of my life. Just six weeks after giving birth to my daughter, my father passed away suddenly while overseas. He suffered a fatal heart attack caused by an undiagnosed heart condition.

My dad was active, strong, and had proudly served in the military for over 24 years. His death was unexpected, and alongside the shock and grief, my family was faced with immediate decisions we were unprepared for. My mother, brother, and sister looked to me to help organize his repatriation and manage what came next. I was navigating early postpartum recovery, extreme exhaustion, and the responsibility of bringing my father home, all at the same time.

Before we lost my brother, our family had already experienced profound heartbreak through him. He and his partner lost two daughters during pregnancy. His first daughter, Kera, was born at 26 weeks and was too little to survive. She passed away in my brother’s arms. His second daughter, Taya, was born at 24 weeks after complications that meant her mother could not carry the pregnancy longer.

Watching young parents endure that kind of loss is something that stays with you forever. At the time, we had no real resources, no guidance, and no roadmap for how to support him or navigate that grief together. All we could do was be there.

Four years after my father’s passing, my brother died suddenly from the same heart condition, one we didn’t know ran in our family until it was too late. Losing him was devastating. This time, however, the experience revealed something important. My brother had taken steps to prepare. His wishes and key information were written down. While the loss was still heartbreaking, the practical side was gentler, clearer, and far less overwhelming.

I served as the executor for both my father’s and my brother’s estates. My father had an outdated will and information scattered across many places, which made the process long, stressful, and emotionally exhausting for those left behind. My brother’s notes were imperfect and simple, even written on post-it notes, but they made a meaningful difference. That contrast changed everything for me.
This work exists because I never want another family to feel as lost, burdened, or overwhelmed as we did.

What we create here is not about fear or finality. It is about care. It is about helping people prepare thoughtfully and gently, in their own time, so their families are not left guessing during moments of grief. Our journals, planners, and digital resources are designed to hold the information that matters, the wishes that deserve to be honored, and the words that are often hardest to say out loud.

For everyone who finds their way here, my hope is simple.

That you feel supported.
That you feel empowered.

And that your family is spared unnecessary stress when it matters most.
You don’t need to do everything at once.
You just need a safe place to begin.