In February of last year, I lost my brother, Darren.

He was what you’d call a gentle giant — strong, soft-spoken, kind to his core. He lived with a spinal cord injury that had no cure, and over time, it slowly wore him down in ways most people couldn’t see. When the pain became too much, he made the heartbreaking decision to end his life.

I was in Toronto when it happened. My family was back home in Ireland. When I got the news, I felt completely numb. It didn’t feel real — and yet it was. One moment shattered everything.

Grieving so far from home made everything feel heavier. There was this overwhelming feeling that I should have been there more, done more, said more. That guilt — whether fair or not — stayed with me. It still does some days.

I started From Grief to Growth because I know how lonely grief can feel. No one prepares you for the silence, the emptiness, or the guilt that sneaks in. I wanted to create a space where those feelings could be spoken out loud — where we don’t have to pretend we’re okay when we’re not.

This blog is for anyone who’s felt the weight of loss and didn’t know where to put it. It’s for those who are trying to carry on while carrying so much.

If you’re grieving, I hope you know you’re not alone. Your pain matters. Your story matters.

And I’m so grateful you’re here.