Amy and Bryn Anderson: photo by Brittany Nunn
The Grief and Loss Center of North Texas in East Dallas has been a wellspring off hope and support for families in East Dallas who are dealing with loss. Three neighbors in particular, Amy, Cory and Bryn Anderson, are grateful for the center’s services, which helped their family navigate grief more than once.
Thirteen-year-old Bryn Anderson, a student at J. L. Long Middle School, tears up when she talks about her little brother, Zane. Bryn was only 4-years-old when Zane died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
“I was too young to really understand what was happening,” Bryn remembers. “I think that made it worse, that I didn’t fully understand.”
During that time, neighbor Laurie Taylor sought out to the Anderson family to guide them through the difficult time. Taylor paid special attention to young Bryn, helping her understand and process her brother’s death.
Just a couple years later Taylor co-founded the Grief and Loss Center out of Wilshire Baptist Church to offer services and support for families like the Andersons. Amy became very involved and she currently serves on the board.
When Amy’s brother died, the Anderson family was once again thrown into grief. Bryn took her uncle’s death particularly hard.
“I was really close to him,” she says. Because of that, she was grateful for the support she received from the Grief and Loss Center. “I don’t think I would have been as open and accepting about [his death], if it hadn’t been for the Grief and Loss Center.”
Every year the Grief and Loss Center hosts a fundraising event, the Celebrate Hope! Dinner and Silent Auction. This year’s event is tomorrow, Oct. 22, at the Lakewood Country Club. The event is from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $50. Learn more.
Want to know more about the Grief and Loss Center? Read our story from 2011 about the program.
