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Nonprofit helps Las Vegas families navigate grief after losing a loved one

sunrise manor fire grief
Posted at 6:57 PM, Mar 30, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-31 12:32:37-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The loss of a child can be devastating.

A family in Sunrise Manor is grieving after a deadly two-alarm fire took the lives of two very young boys Tuesday morning. As investigators figure out how this fire started, the family is left dealing with their tragic loss.

RELATED: Clark County FD: 2 children found dead in house fire in northeast Las Vegas

“Shock, numbness, disbelief. Some people can only cope in snippets," said Kelly Thomas Boyers, the president of Adam’s Place, a nonprofit that provides grief support for children and families.

Boyers says the first step in helping a family cope with a tragic loss is by listening and letting them speak.

“Being present with them. Not trying to fix. Not trying to solve, but listening and validating their feelings and acknowledging their feelings,” she said.

Boyers lost her child more than a decade ago and says the grief for some may never go away. She says it’s all about helping families cope and manage and says people close to them can help navigate them in the right direction.

“At this point in time, extended family and friends can help by wearing hats, or setting up the GoFundMe page," she said.

"Or set up what the family would like in lieu of," she added.

Boyers says families should not hesitate to reach out to groups like hers if they are struggling with a loss.

“It’s so important to be grief-sensitive around us,” she said of families dealing with loss.

For any family that may be going through a loss like this and is looking for help on coping, a link to Adam’s Place can be found here.