18/06/2026
Ahead of Father’s Day, Sydney has shared their story💜
“In 2017, at the age of ten, my father died suddenly; my grandfather died the day after. This completely changed me, and I found myself trapped in my own grief. I struggled for a long time to go to school and keep up with the friends I had. This was a profound setback for me, and I deeply socially regressed and found the prospect of ever returning to my life incredibly daunting. I continued this way until I got support from Nelson’s Journey through the advice of a family friend.
Nelson’s Journey provided me with the support that I needed at the time to get back on track. I was given one-on-one sessions with a support worker both in school and at Nelson’s Journey’s offices; these helped me especially to work through and process my feelings around my bereavement. Nelson’s Journey also helped me regain my confidence to return to school, they also spoke to my school to provide an easy route for me to come back. I remember being told by a support worker at the time that “It won’t always be like this. You won’t believe it now but it won’t”, this deeply helped me at the time to be able to continue with my life again.
Nelson’s Journey also gave me the opportunity to attend a two-day residential, and this really helped me to regain my confidence. It was very beneficial for me to be around people who had also experienced grief and were around my age. The emotional acceptance and catharsis I felt in combination with the fun activity provided created an experience that proved transformative to me. The care provided by everyone involved created an environment where I was truly able to open up and heal.
After having received support from Nelson’s Journey I very quickly decided I wanted to give back to them in my own way. I became a young volunteer and quickly began attending all the opportunities I could.
With Nelson’s Journey’s support, I was able to return to school and my social life. I am now off to university in September, studying English at Cambridge University.
Without the support of Nelson’s Journey, I would not have gotten to where I am today, and I am eternally grateful to them for that support."
Thank you so much to Sydney for sharing your story!
