❤ Rosalie Tocco-Bradley – COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER ❤

“Flash forward 4 years. The first Lady of Michigan, Sue Snyder, invited me to attend an Ele’s Place Ann Arbor Healing Hearts Breakfast as her guest. I was not well informed about Ele’s Place, but didn’t want to decline Sue’s invitation, so I politely attended the breakfast. I was not prepared for the overwhelming emotion I would experience at the breakfast, as I heard the first-hand story of an Ele’s Place Ann Arbor family, and understood the profound impact that Ele’s Place had had on their journey towards healing.

“I was so disappointed that our family had not known about Ele’s Place and resolved that I wanted to be part of sharing the opportunity offered by Ele’s Place Ann Arbor’s peer grief support programs to other families in need. I also called JonJon and Nicole to share my knowledge and enthusiasm about Ele’s Place. They openly agreed that the Ele Place peer-to-peer support activities would have been a game changer for them. They whole-heartedly encouraged me to stay involved.

“In my role as a practicing physician, I connected Ele’s Place Ann Arbor with our oncology and pediatric programs at St. Joe’s and IHA. Many of my teammates participated in an onsite ‘Tour of the Heart’ where we viewed the art generated by grieving children. Our clinical program staff agreed to make sure our patient families are informed about Ele’s Place Ann Arbor.

“During this period of time, I was honored to be invited to join the Ele’s Place Ann Arbor Community Board. And again, I was struck by the incredible dedication of the staff and Board in sustaining the mission and logistics of Ele’s Place Ann Arbor programming, even during the COVID pandemic. Ele’s Place Ann Arbor provides a very special community service – free of charge, for as long as a family needs – that has touched the lives of so many grieving children and teens. I am proud to be part of this wonderful and giving organization. Thank you Ele’s Place. You make a difference!” ❤

❤ Rosalie Tocco-Bradley – COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER ❤

“When my sister Maria was 40 years old, she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Maria and her husband Jon, were parents to 5 year old JonJon and 11 year old Nicole. Maria’s battle with breast cancer waxed and waned for 6 years until her brave fight ended with her passing.

“Although we were a large and close-knit family, I don’t think any of us appreciated the toll Maria’s battle and ultimate death were taking on JonJon and Nicole. We later found a story that JonJon wrote in 2nd grade titled, “I Hate Cancer.” Sadly, when Maria did pass at home with Jon, Nicole, and JonJon at her side, JonJon ran from the house and disappeared into the neighborhood. It took family and friends two hours to find the grieving child hiding in a backyard, swallowed by his own grief.

“My brother-in-law, Jon, who was a good man, agreed to enter the kids into grief counseling but they didn’t stick with it. When I asked Jon and Nicole about the sessions, they reported finding no connection or help. How I wish we had known about Ele’s Place! JonJon and Nicole did not find the companionship they needed with other teens who could relate to their tremendous loss and struggles.

“To add to their grief, five years after Maria passed, my brother-in-law, Jon, died of a sudden heart attack. He had been struggling with insulin dependent diabetes. Although Nicole was now in college and able to establish counseling at Case Western, JonJon, then 16 years old, desperately needed a peer grief support group. His well-intended aunts and uncles tried to fill his void, but if only we had known that Ele’s Place existed and offered such an impactful, safe place to express his grief and loss with other teens. JonJon has grown into a thoughtful and caring young man and relies heavily on his faith and family, but I know now that we should have and could have done more.” ❤