JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville teen and her family member, affected by grief, are turning their pain from losing a loved one to a plan to help others who have also dealt with loss.
Korielle Johnson and her cousin Jacques Johnson both lost their mothers. They hosted the second annual Grief Talk event Saturday afternoon to provide a space for others who have experienced what they have gone through or something similar.
Korielle lost her mother in a hit-and-run crash when she was nine years old and said that adjusting to losing her mother at a young age has been a challenge but talking to someone helped her through the grieving process.
“Anybody can be your listening ear. No matter the stage. No matter how it is. You really need someone to be that person, to be your opening ear,” Johnson said.
Over a dozen people gathered at a dance studio on 48th Street to talk about ways to cope with grief in a healthy way.
The main topic of conversation was about people learning to not hold in their feelings and allowing space and time to grieve.
Korielle said her mother’s death caused her to spiral into depressing thoughts.
“When my mom first passed, I had thoughts going into my head. Like, what’s the point of being here? The person I loved the most is gone,” Korielle said. “But I have purpose. I have to be here.”
Korielle and Jacques plan on hosting the event next year to continue the conversation and spread awareness about grief.