WIMBERLEY, Texas -- The death of someone you love is a heartbreaking experience. For children, it can be one of the most traumatic events in a young life.
In a small section of the Hill Country, 9-year-old Jasmine Anderson is remembering her father, who died of cancer a year and a half ago.
“He'd usually be the one who'd take me places and teach me about stuff,” Jasmine said.
She and the other kids at Camp Brave Heart made memory boxes for the parents and grandparents they have lost.
“I wrote 'Mike' because his name was Michael, and I made like a little heart,” she said.
One-hundred kids, ages 6 to 17, are attending Camp Brave Heart this summer. It is a chance for them to not only have fun, but also work through the pain of losing a loved one.
Experts say grief is complicated enough for adults, so you can imagine how devastating it can be for a child.
“All the mixed emotions, the guilt, so for campers to be able to come to camp and be able to identity with other campers who have similar feelings is extremely therapeutic for them,” said Cheri Horner, Camp Brave Heart’s director.
During the three-day camp, the younger kids spend time with horses. The goal is to help bring emotions to the surface and help them heal.
“They can speak from the gut,” said Veronique Matthews, founder of Horses and Hooves, which specializes in equine therapy. “They never leave equine therapy feeling vulnerable, torn apart, re-traumatized.”
Older campers, like 15-year-old Kaitlynn Dugan, also talk about their feelings. Dugan lost her mother last year.
“She wasn't just my mother, she was definitely one of my best friends,” Kaitlynn said. “She died of brain cancer.”
For Dugan, being around other kids who have suffered the same kind of loss is comforting.
“When you lose a loved one it seems like no one out there knows what you're going through, but they really do, and they have great sympathy for everything,” she said.
That sympathy and support is helping Kaitlynn be there for her younger brothers. Now she and the rest of these kids will leave camp with new friends and coping skills for the times when the loss seems too much to bear.
“No matter what, you will get through and it'll just make you a stronger person because God has a plan for you,” she said.
Camp Brave Heart is a project of Hospice Austin. The camp is free of charge and children are accepted on a first come, first served basis.
