“Our Beautiful Daughter was Killed”~ How to Support Grieving Parents and Families when the Unthinkable Happens

Joel Feldman, Esq., MS, Founder of EndDD.org(End Distracted Driving).
Father of Casey Anderson Feldman

Dianne Anderson, Esq. Mother of Casey Anderson Feldman

Background:

Joel Feldman has been an attorney for more than 30 years and has a masters in counseling. Combining law and counseling he encourages attorneys to be more supportive and compassionate when representing those who have suffered life-altering injuries or those who have lost loved ones. After his daughter Casey’s death by a distracted driver he has become a leading traffic safety advocate, developing resources to promote safe driving used across the country. He is a frequent speaker at high schools, safety conferences and businesses and has personally spoken with more than 30,000 teens and adults about distracted driving.

Dianne Anderson is a retired attorney and co-founder of The Casey Feldman Memorial Foundation. Dianne works on the multiple activities associated with the Foundation and its various websites and social media and is a frequent speaker at events associated with the Foundation and its mission. http://caseyfeldmanfoundation.org/ and http://enddd.org/

There are three aspects of the Foundation

• To promote traffic safety by reducing distracted driving
• Through scholarships, encourage high school and college students to volunteer in their communities and work with local non-profit organizations
• Protect animals

Outstanding daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, student at Fordham University. aspiring broadcast journalist. Victim of Distracted Driving. July, 2009

Overview:

This show will address the following issues, challenges, stories, solutions

The death of our daughter Casey by a distracted driver in July 2009;

Our experience in losing a child;

Our experience of support from others-helpful and harmful;

Steps to supporting parents who have lost a child

3 Key Points:

1. Reach out-don’t ask first, just do, don’t assume that the family will want to be left alone.
2. It’s ok if you don’t really know what to say-just being there and listening is enough-you can’t fix someone’s grief so don’t even try.
3. Do say the child’s name and do tell a story about the child-Don’t think that to do so will make our grief worse-it is a tremendous gift! Let those who are grieving know that their loved one will not be forgotten.