After experiencing the loss of someone we love, the grief often makes us want to tighten, curl up and hide away. Sometimes we want to isolate and disappear from the world, pretend it didn’t happen. We want to contract into such an itty-bitty fragment of who we are, perhaps to not feel how painful those big emotions are. The enormity of such an open, raw wound in our life hurts. While hiding is a way to cope for the short term, isolation is not a sustainable state to live in. This is especially not a state for young children to live in after they experience a major loss in their life.
Despite a tragic, sudden loss of her young son, Jackson, in 2019, when most mothers would want to close up and hide from the world, Carrie Chick-Schmitt chose to intentionally open up. She needed to learn how to live this unplanned life in a new way, not only for herself, but also for her other young son, who was mourning the death of his big brother.
Carrie has now devoted her life to opening up to tell their story to help other little brothers and sisters cope with the unthinkable tragedy of losing a sibling. Due to her experiences with needing more resources as she navigated uncharted territory after her son’s death, Carrie started the non-profit organization, Love Like Jackson, to help local grieving families.
Love Like Jackson is a supportive team, offering tools and services that help a grieving family process and manage their new, unplanned life, without their loved one. Carrie has cultivated a group of compassionate professionals who help parents and siblings. In addition to providing grief bags, they focus on art, music and play therapy. With three licensed therapists, they educate on different methods for processing such an enormous void.
Carrie has used the open void in her life to allow space to receive messages and opportunities to help so many in our community. She stays open to what comes her way, always honoring and remembering her son. Even though telling their story, over and over again, is painful, she is comforted by believing her efforts are making a positive difference. Carrie is in the process of telling their story in the form of a children’s book.
Carrie is extremely involved in a variety of other charitable groups, attending many events, carrying her courageous and compassionate energy everywhere she goes. She certainly does not love how the road map of her life has gone; however, she is now on a mission to help guide those who are navigating uncharted territory themselves. If any of this resonates, I invite you to reach out and/or share.
This is a non-paid endorsement, encouraging you to learn more about impactful non-profit organizations within our community.
When something touches your heart, please help our world by spreading the word, volunteering, donating, attending an event, or simply asking what a person or group may need.
Thank you, to Carrie and Love Lake Jackson, for being so open to allow others receive the help they need. Your team is inspirational as you act with intention to be part of a solution. Perhaps this is the real definition of hope. And after all, sometimes just a little hope is all we need to feel a little less isolated.
We provide resources to families who have experienced child loss. We fund therapy & provide grief bags.
(563) 299-5519
Lovelikejackson1219@gmail.com
It is so wonderful to have cozy and comforting places to connect in Festus, MO. Carrie and I sipped on sweet iced beverages while we talked at:
Check out another local non-profit organization who actively helps families in our community:
