Rick was the absolute love of my life.
When he was killed in the line of duty on September 22, 2023, the life we had built and the future I believed we still had disappeared in an instant.
Everything became unrecognizable. I was left trying to understand how to keep living when the person I thought I would grow old with was suddenly no longer beside me…and how to carry a love that was still so present when he no longer was.
In the time that followed, I learned there were parts of grief and trauma that words alone could not always reach. I needed different ways to move what I was carrying through my body, mind and soul. I needed meaningful experiences, practical tools and people who understood that life could be hard and messy without requiring me to explain every part of my story first.
Brave Hearts grew from that need.
It is deeply personal, but it was never meant to be mine alone. It is the kind of space I needed…and the kind of space I hope others can find when they need somewhere to begin, return or simply be.
