Column: Jones On Grief Awareness & More
[Opinion column written by Mychel Jones]
In Bermuda, there are children growing up without a parent because of gun and gang violence.
There are husbands and wives adjusting to life after loss. Parents grieving children. Families trying to cope with illness, trauma, addiction, divorce, financial hardship, and other life-changing events.
Grief touches all of us at some point. Yet many people carry it quietly and alone.
Over the past two decades, our island has experienced ongoing trauma connected to gun and gang-related homicide. While public attention often focuses on the incident itself, the grief does not end when the headlines fade. It continues to affect families, friends, schools, neighbourhoods and entire communities.
Bermuda’s Grief & Loss Awareness Day [BGLAD 2026]
At the Gina Spence Program, we believe no heart should grieve alone.
Today, more than 100 children are supported through the Gina Spence Program’s Champions Program after losing a parent to gun and gang-related homicide. These children are not statistics. They are young people learning how to navigate life after unimaginable loss while still trying to heal, learn, dream and build their futures.
Our mission is to bridge critical gaps in grief and loss support within Bermuda by fostering resilience, healing, and hope. We believe healing becomes possible when individuals feel seen, supported, and connected to compassionate care.
Through our Healing Hearts Program, we provide accessible grief and loss counselling for individuals and families. Through our Champions Program, we provide wraparound services and long-term support for children impacted by homicide. Through GriefConnect, we work with schools, workplaces, churches and community organisations to help Bermuda become more understanding of trauma and its impact and build a more grief-informed Bermuda.
This work matters because grief affects every part of life.
Annual Each One Reach One Back To School Distribution [EORO]
When grief is left unaddressed, it can affect mental health, relationships, school performance, work, and overall well-being. It can show up as anxiety, depression, anger, isolation, addiction and emotional distress.
That is why early intervention matters.
Over the past year, the Gina Spence Program delivered more than 300 clinical counselling sessions and provided over 200 fully subsidised sessions to individuals and families who otherwise may not have been able to access support. More than 300 community members also participated in grief awareness and educational initiatives designed to build greater understanding and compassion around grief and loss.
The impact of long-term support can also be seen through the Champions Program, where 96 per cent of participants graduate from high school, 91 per cent engage in sports or other positive activities, and 86 per cent participate in community service.
These numbers represent something powerful. They show what can happen when young people are given support, stability and the opportunity to heal.
Annual Christmas Gift of Giving Distribution [CGOG]
But grief support cannot rest solely with the third sector or community organizations alone.
As a society, we all have a role to play. We need schools that recognise the signs of grief in students. We need workplaces that understand the impact loss can have on employees. We need families, faith communities, healthcare professionals and community leaders willing to talk openly about grief, healing and emotional well-being.
The encouraging reality is that healing is possible when people are given the proper support. Every day, we see individuals and families take meaningful steps forward when they are given the tools and understanding they need.
The Gina Spence Program remains committed to working alongside schools, healthcare providers, workplaces and community organisations to strengthen grief support across Bermuda.
Grief is a human experience that will touch all of us at some point in life. How we choose to respond to one another during those moments matters deeply. Together, we can build a community where people feel supported rather than isolated during some of life’s most difficult moments.
Because no heart should grieve alone.
- Mychel Jones
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