A Touching and Inspirational One-on-One Grief Moment With Two Men
I hope you enjoy this inspirational grief video about how two men managed grief together with grace, peace and harmony as much as I did. Jadranka D’Richards, an essay contributor for Let’s Talk Grief II, shared it with me. I enclosed the link to watch it at the end of this post.
Let’s Talk Grief would like to publish more grief success stories like this one I’m sharing with you about Troy and Deedra Russell, who lost their son, Austen, at age nine. If you have or know of a successful grief story, please share it with me by sending it through the Let’s Talk Grief “Get In Touch” Form on the website’s Home Page.
On May 30, 2015, as Troy slowly pulled his pickup truck out of his garage to donate goods to the local Deseret Industries, his back tire rolled over a bump. Thinking some item had fallen off the truck, he got out only to find his precious nine-year-old son, Austen, lying face down on the pavement. The screams, the priesthood blessing, the paramedic crew, the hospital staff—they were, in this case, to no avail. Austen was gone.
As Troy faces the grief and guilt and struggles to find peace and return to his daily routine, his basketball buddy John Manning wonders how he can help and comes up with a great idea. One that teaches him to just show up for Troy and listen.
Here are some profound comments about grief from Troy Russell and John Manning. The first five are comments from Troy, and the last is from John.
I prayed to God. Please take this pain from me because I can’t take it anymore!
God spoke to my spirit and said, I can take away the pain, but I’d have to take away the nine years you had with your son. Or you can keep those nine years that you had with your son and endure the pain that comes with losing him.
God’s answer completely changed my perspective. I wouldn’t give up anything for the nine years I had with my son. I knew the long road would be hard, but I also knew it would be okay.
I felt Christ reach out through John and others to lift this heavy weight off me and help me get to a point where I once again had joy and laughter, and I could be the husband and father I need to be.
Because John continued to call, text, and pick me up to go play basketball over and over again, it turned something that was difficult into something I was able to do, something I was actually looking forward to.
It wasn’t anything John said. It was just him being there and listening. - Troy Russell
I didn’t try to fix him. I’m not capable of that. But I’m capable of listening.
God wants us to love each other and take care of each other. God doesn’t give us a list or a recipe of go do this, go do that. God wants us to look out for each other. Notice and go do!
Let’s show how much we love Troy and get him back to some version of normal. - John Manning
Another reason this is an inspirational story about grief is the emotional support and empathy Troy and Deedra practiced with each other. They set the standard and exemplify how to grieve together in a healthy way. A husband and wife who grieve together stay together and keeps the family together!
And a community that grieves together stays together!
Together let's break the silence and heal with grace, peace and harmony!
The One-On-One Video
My heart, there are no words. BUT to have had 9 years, thats a lifetime for you. I got 31 years with my son Tyler and feel blessed every day for them.I also consider that I too got a lifetime....Tyler's lifetime. I LOVE your story, thanks for sharing. ❤️ 💙 💜