No Blueprint for Grief - A Story of Love, Loss, and Building Hope
Healing isn’t about moving on, it’s about moving forward
By: Sharmaine Brown
Grief doesn’t come with instructions.
There’s no clear path to follow when your world is turned upside down. I learned that in July 2015 when my son Jared was killed by a stray bullet because someone chose to end a conflict with a gun.
Jared was just two weeks shy of his 24th birthday. He was kind, full of life, and always looking out for others. He loved basketball, enjoyed spending time with his sisters and friends, and would give anyone the shirt off his back.
At the time, my husband and I were out of town caring for my father. When we got back, we found a note on our front door from the medical examiner’s office. That’s how we learned that Jared was gone. There was no warning, no time to prepare, no final goodbye. Just silence and the weight of unimaginable loss.
In the days that followed, I found myself moving through a fog. The grief was overwhelming. There were no stages, no rules, and no map for the road ahead. But amid the heartbreak, I made a promise that Jared’s death would not be in vain. Something meaningful had to come from our pain. I had to keep his heart beating through purpose.
In 2016, I founded Jared’s Heart of Success, a nonprofit committed to saving lives, empowering youth, and preventing other families from experiencing the kind of heartbreak mine did.
We focus on mentoring, conflict resolution, emotional wellness, and youth leadership development. I believe that young people are powerful change agents when they’re given the support, tools, and love they need to grow and lead.
At Jared’s Heart of Success, our programs are rooted in prevention and healing. We host mental health workshops, family engagement events, and leadership training through our Youth Advisory Council. We partner with schools to implement peer mediation, peace circles, and restorative practices that teach young people how to manage conflict, build empathy, and lead with purpose.
This work is deeply personal. Every workshop, every youth we mentor, every parent we support — it’s all done with Jared in mind. His heart lives on in everything we do.
Grief has shown me that healing isn’t about moving on. It’s about moving forward with intention. It’s about creating something out of the hurt, so that others might find light in their darkest moments.
There’s no blueprint for grief. But I’ve learned that there is one for change. And it starts with love, support, and action.
If you’re wondering how to help, there are many ways to get involved. You can support a specific program, donate supplies for youth events, or make a financial contribution that helps us grow and reach more families. You can show up, spread the word, and stand with us in this work.
We can’t bring Jared back. But through Jared’s Heart of Success, we’re creating a world where fewer families have to endure this kind of pain, and where young people can rise as leaders for peace, healing, and justice. This is the legacy I carry. This is how love continues.
To learn more or support our mission, visit us at Jared’s Heart of Success.
Sharmaine Brown is the Founder and Executive Director of Jared’s Heart of Success, a nonprofit organization based in Georgia focused on youth empowerment, violence prevention, and mental wellness. She is also a survivor and national advocate working to end gun violence through education, resilience building, and advocacy.
Photo courtesy of author.