There is no greater loss than that of a child. It does not matter how old the child was or the circumstances of their death, a parent's grief feels unbearable. Every year, in the US alone, 44,226 parents lose a child under the age of 19. Worldwide, it's a staggering 6.3 million newly bereaved parents every year. Those numbers do not include parents who lose adult children, whose pain is no different than those who lose young children. These parents are all thrown into a world they never expected to be in and certainly don't want to be a part of. Yet they have no choice. No frame of reference. No idea how to navigate the storm. They are deeply in pain and often feel very alone and lost in their experience. Just as a lighthouse is a beacon, shedding light and guiding ships through the darkness, so is this book. It is a guide, a companion, a source of help and hope, to assist you and them in the most difficult journey of their life. This book is your lighthouse. It is for the parents who have had to say goodbye to their children, those who love them and support them, and those who work with them in a professional capacity. It is a source of truth, support, experience, explanation, validation, reassurance, and hope that they can and will get through their grief, this most difficult of experiences, without ever forgetting about their child or the love they shared. Whether you are a bereaved parent, family member, or, perhaps a friend, co-worker or professional who works with the bereaved, this book was written for you... a source of information, support, resources, and strategies for coping and healing after the death of a child. Wherever you are in your grief journey, you will find valuable information in these pages. It is a guide to help you find your way out of the darkness and into a place of color and light again, where you will weave your child's memory into the fabric of your life and hold them in your heart forever.
About the Author: Kimberly Amato is an insightful, compassionate, and heart-centered educator whose professional career has been dedicated to helping others overcome adversity and reach their highest potential. She does this through her work as a Physical Therapist, Childbirth Educator, Birth Doula, Reiki Master, and CPR, First Aid and Child and Home Safety instructor and advocate. Kimberly is also a dynamic and gifted workshop leader, blogger, and author on a mission to help and support others in their journey to be their best selves. As a Reiki Master, grief mentor, and birth and bereavement doula, Kimberly provides insight, non-judgmental support, and facilitation of healing of the mind, body, and soul. She has had the honor of supporting others through their greatest joys and their deepest sorrows, providing comfort, insight, and unwavering support. Kimberly doesn't just talk the talk, she walks the walk; on a path no one ever wants to go down. The same one you are on now. She is also a bereaved parent, losing her 3-year old daughter Meggie to a furniture tip-over accident in 2004. Kimberly has turned the tragic loss of her own daughter into a passionate and successful world-wide advocacy campaign dedicated to child safety, Meghan's Hope, known around the world as a go-to resource for tip-over prevention and child safety. Her blog post, Be with Me. Just for Today, went viral and opened the eyes of millions of people around the world to the pain of losing a child, and compelling them to take action to make their own homes safer. Her compassionate, insightful, knowledgeable, and nurturing support is a gift to anyone struggling with the roller coaster of emotions associated with loss and grief. She has mentored and supported many others on their journey out of the darkness toward healing after a profound loss in their lives. It is an honor to help you with yours. Her work has been published in several trade magazines and she also blogs for a local newspaper on home and child safety. Kimberly has presented at both local and national conferences and has been interviewed by numerous media outlets. When she is not working as a physical therapist, teaching, writing, or taking her boys to a soccer practice or game, she enjoys running 5K's with her family, snacking on chocolate, playing games with friends and family, sitting quietly with a cup of tea and watching the birds, and ballroom dancing with the love of her life, her husband, Joe.