Elena’s Path to Healing

Emma and Paige

By sharing her story, Elena hopes to offer the same hope she once needed. After an unimaginable loss, she found support through the Grief and Loss Center and shares her story to help others feel less alone in their grief.

I never imagined I’d outlive my daughter.

It was a bright April morning, and my 10-year-old, Mia, kissed me on the cheek before heading to a friend’s birthday party. Just a normal Saturday—until it wasn’t. A tragic car accident took her life in an instant. One phone call, and everything I knew about life, love, and motherhood unraveled.

In the weeks that followed, I could barely breathe. I replayed every decision from that day, wondering if I could’ve changed something. I couldn’t bring myself to enter Mia’s room. Sleep felt impossible. The world kept turning, but mine had stopped. My husband and I grieved so differently. At times, it felt like we were losing each other too. But somewhere deep down, we knew we had to stay strong—not just for ourselves, but for our marriage. That didn’t mean pretending everything was okay. It meant sitting in the pain together, even when it was uncomfortable.

Then, one day, a mutual friend sent me a quiet message on Facebook: “I don’t know if this helps, but the Grief and Loss Center supported me when I didn’t know where to turn.” I clicked the link and cried reading stories that sounded like mine. I reached out.

Through the Center, I joined a support group where I didn’t have to explain myself. I started writing letters to Mia, and we found small ways to celebrate progress—like when I got through an entire day without breaking down, and we went for ice cream just to mark the moment.

Grief hasn’t left me. But I’ve learned that healing doesn’t mean forgetting—it means carrying love forward. The Grief and Loss Center gave me tools, language, and community when I had none. Now, by sharing my story, hope to give that same comfot