Valerie's House offering virtual grief support groups

Holding onto normal is even harder for some these days, like a child who’s lost a parent.

That’s why Valerie’s House of Fort Myers has moved their support groups to a virtual format.

THIS TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCINGCAN BE CHALLENGINGESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN WHO AREALREADY GRIEVING THE LOSS OF ALOVED ONE.

THANKS FOR STAYINGWITH US FOR LOCAL COVERAGE ..I’M PATRICK NOLAN.AND I’M JANE MONREAL.

THAT’SWHY VALERIE’S HOUSE IN FORTMYERS SAYS THEY’RE PROVIDINGVIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS.FOX 4’S RACHEL LOYD SPOKE WITH ATEEN WHO LOST A PARENT A FEWYEARS AGO.SHE SHARED HOW THAT SUPPORT ISHELPING.

RACHEL?(:51 - :57)(1:21 - 1:28)LLINTRO: STORI MCDOUGALL SAYSTHIS TIME IS REALLY TOUGH FORHER.

SHE’S MISSING THE ONEPERSON WHO KEPT HER CALMANDMADE HER FEEL LIKE EVERYTHINGWOULD BE ALRIGHT.

HER MOM.There’s nothing I wouldn’t dothan just to be able to ask herif things are going to be okay,and for her to comfort me.STORI MCDOUGALL’S MOM SOMMER EVAPASSED AWAY IN 2015.She was my best friend.SHE FACETIMED ME ON HER WAY TOGET GROCERIES FOR HERGRANDPARENTS.SHE TOLD ME WHAT MAKES THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC EVEN TOUGHERFOR HER IS KNOWING HER MOM DIEDFROM A SIMILAR VIRUS.A COLD DEVELOPED INTO PNEUMONIACAUSING BOTH HER LUNGS TOCOLLAPSE.NOW SHE LEANS ON VALERIE’S HOUSEIN FORT MYERS FOR SUPPORT.

APLACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GOTO MOURN THE LOSS OF A PARENT ORSIBLING.NatsTHIS WEEK THE GROUP’S FOUNDERANGELA MELVIN MOVED SUPPORTGROUPS TO A VIRTUAL SETTING.NatsWhen I asked the question, howmany of you feel more stressednow?

Of course every single oneof them raised their hand.SHE EXPLAINED TO ME WHY THECORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IS HARDERFOR THESE KIDS.The fear is that I’ve alreadylost someone in my life, and nowI am at risk for losing my otherparent.THE GROUP IS A SAFE SPACE FORMCDOUGALL STILL TRYING MAKESENSE OF LIFE WITHOUT HER MOM.A loss is one of the worstfeelings you could ever gothrough, and it’s just the mostimportant thing to be able tohave someone to talk to.I will never be alone in thisstruggle.AND IF YOU’RE NOT A PART OFVALERIE’S HOUSE, YOU CAN STILLFIND FREE RESOURCES ON THEIRWEBSITE TO HELP YOU HANDLEGRIEFLIKE THIS GUIDE TO TALK TOKIDS.LLTAG: MELVIN SAYS EVEN THOUGHTHEY’RE NOT MEETINGIN-PERSONTHEY’RE