Bereaved Families of Ontario — Ottawa

I began attending monthly meetings at BFO-Ottawa in August 2000 after my much beloved father passed away suddenly in June of that same year. I had come from a very small close knit family consisting of my mother, father, sister and myself. The loss of one of our four family members left an unimaginable void.

I don't know how I would've coped without BFO. It got to be that I couldn't wait for the first Tuesday of each month and although I left each of these sessions somewhat drained, I also felt a sense of relief and belonging. It was here, and only here, that I could feel free enough to cry, get angry, feel sorry for myself and vent. It was safe to do those things here, and there was no judgment.

It was also at BFO that I learned much about another level of compassion and empathy... that for what others were going through. After my father's death, I thought the world should be revolving around me and my grief. It was all about me.... Well, I quickly learned it wasn't all about me, but about all of us going through similar experiences.

In the comfort of the BFO evenings, I developed relationships with people that became stronger than ones I previously had for over 20 years. BFO and the people attending the monthly meetings saved a part of my life, and I will be forever grateful. This organization should be publicly applauded for the much needed services it provides to us who are at the lowest point in our lives.

L. Rail
April 2006