Kim Burditt
I live in Wakefield and have been attending Branch with my husband Rich, my 2 daughters Kirbie and Reegan O’Brien and my mom Barb Hoffman, for just over 5 years. I am pursuing a Masters in Social Work and also work for a national non-profit organization where I get to create grief and trauma-informed programming, events, trainings and support groups for adults who are grieving the suicide death of their militarily-connected loved one. This job has brought me all over the country (and world) in caring for and teaching about grieving people; it is truly a privilege to do this work because I get to honor my younger brother Jon, a U.S. Marine veteran, who died by suicide in 2010.
My dad, David Hoffman, (aka “Super Dave”) also attended Branch before his sudden death in 2016 from heart-related issues. My faith has been my foundation through these losses, and one of the most helpful things my family found in grieving has been being open and sharing with others who have walked this journey, too. I have been feeling nudged for quite a while now to share my “grief experience” and professional training with my church family, and when Trish approached me with the idea of starting this group, I was honored, excited and very grateful.
Trish Mahoney- Diefenbach
My story with Branch began almost 5 years ago. My daughter, Erin, had been diagnosed with Glioblastoma. This is an aggressive form of brain cancer and the prognosis was not good. Erin and I were both looking for a church...a community where we could feel comfortable. Shortly after joining Branch, my husband Paul (Erin’s stepdad) became ill. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. His prognosis, like Erin’s, was not good. My Dad, during this time, was diagnosed with Bone Cancer. There were times that the only constant in my life was attending Branch Church on a Sunday morning. Erin, Paul and I were all baptized at Branch. We each found great support in this community.
Then, in June 2016 I lost my daughter. She fought with every fiber of her being, but it was not to be. I focused my attention on my husband. His original prognosis was only 4 months, but I think he knew I needed him too much. We were granted one year beyond Erin before he joined Erin in heaven. A week later, my Dad joined them. Their deaths were not sudden; cancer allowed us time, but it did not prepare me for the overwhelming loss of my family. For the first time in years...actually the first time ever...I was on my own. I have felt for a long time that its important, for those experiencing the loss of a loved one, to know there is support and love surrounding them. This group is an effort to make that support a more organized forum.