A nationwide internet poll of 1,006 adults, conducted in 2009, revealed that 1 in 9 Americans lose a parent before age 20, and 1 in 7 will lose either a parent or a sibling before their 20th birthday.
The Bradley Center for Grieving Children and Families is dedicated to providing a supportive peer community that helps participants draw on their own inner resources, including faith, to find hope and healing after the death of a loved one.
It was founded in 2010 by Carrie Moore and Janice Taylor, who lost their husbands in the Coca Cola corporate plane crash that killed eight men, leaving 17 Salt Lake area children fatherless in January 1996.
After the crash, both widows were able to meet regularly with several of the other women who lost their husbands in the same accident. Each found it helpful to share sorrow and stories as they dealt with similar challenges.
As mothers of 6 of the 17 children whose fathers were killed, the founders understand the devastation experienced by children and families who lose a family member. Their experiences in coping with tragedy were the catalyst for creating an organization to provide hope for others dealing with the death of a family member.
The center is named for Carrie Moore’s husband, Bradley. The center’s scholarship fund honors the name of Janice Taylor’s husband, Craig.
