My fiancé Bernard left for heaven on Jan 1st, 2009. I honestly didn’t think I would survive. I remember waking up day after day telling myself that I couldn’t make it. I just couldn’t see pass the pain. The world was moving on but I was not ready to move with it. I was at a serious stand still but I knew I had to be strong for the sake of the children who were hurting as well. Along with praying, the amount of support I received from my family, work family and friends is truly immeasurable and was key to me finding strength. They gave true meaning to, ” the little things mean so much”. Once I realized I could not do it alone, I became more receptive to their help. They provided me with everything I needed from spiritual and emotional guidance, to daily protein shakes. While glued laying on the couch day after day after day, it gave me a sense of hope hearing those who cared for me stocking my refrigerator, cooking, washing the dishes, taking out the trash, etc. The spiritual and emotional counseling I received began to help guide me through my tragedy and to start seeing hope beyond it.
Six months after Bernard’s death a friend of mine lost her fiance as well. Thereafter, my uncle died, leaving his wife of 35 years. It was a non-stop emotional roller coaster. A month did not go by without me reading, hearing or knowing someone personally who was experiencing the same pain as me. I could not sleep knowing this was going on all over the world. Of course I always knew it exsisted, but it is not until you are faced with a situation personally that you are able to see it for what it really is. My heart ached for those experiencing what I was . So, in Dec 2009 I launched the Bershé Hope Foundation with the vision of helping those who have lost their spouse, as well as their children who are grieving, by offering the same hard and soft assistance so many people provided to me.
