Alan Pedersen, Simon Stephens Award

Alan is an award-winning speaker, songwriter and recording artist. His inspirational message of hope and his music have resonated deeply with those facing a loss or adversity in their lives. Since the death of his 18-year-old daughter Ashley in 2001, Alan has traveled to more than 1,500 cities speaking and playing his original music. Alan also successfully served four years as the Executive Director of The Compassionate Friends.

Listen as Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley present Alan Pedersen with the Simon Stephens Award.

Ralph and Donna Goodrich, Recognition Award

Donna has lost three children, a miscarriage, her son Garth, an identical twin, at birth, and her 17-year-old daughter, Lauren in an auto accident. Donna, along with her husband, Ralph, have been involved with TCF in some aspect for the past 18 years, including chartering a new chapter in Charlotte, NC, chapter leader, newsletter editor, served on the committee for the 2010 and the 2018 TCF National Conference, have conducted 11 Chapter Leaderships Training Programs in both North and South Carolina and Virginia, and are currently Regional Coordinators for both North and South Carolina. Donna has presented her workshop “Gifts of Grief” at the past six National Conferences and is moderator for the TCF private Facebook group, Loss of a Child.

Listen to a message from Donna.

Joe Pantozzi, In Memoriam Award

Joe was passionate about supporting men in grief whether it was on TCF’s Private Facebook group or at TCF’s National Conference. Joe became a part of TCF after losing his 18-year-old son, Joey, to complications with cerebral palsy. Joe joined the TCF private Facebook group, Men in Grief, where he became a VIP there, interacting with the other men as a listening ear and big-hearted friend who really cared about them. He had a true affinity for the bereaved dads, brothers, and grandpas and the complexities they dealt with as grieving men. At Joe’s first national conference in 2018, despite his own limited means, he generously paid for someone else to attend, and did the same in Philadelphia in 2019. He helped start the first Men’s Only Room in 2019, and hung out there, night and day, so that there would always be someone available to talk to another man who needed an understanding friend.

Listen to a message from Andy McNiel in memory of Joe Pantozzi.

Dr. Heidi Horsley, Karen Snepp Outstanding Sibling Award

Dr. Heidi Horsley is a licensed psychologist, social worker, and bereaved sibling. She co-hosts the award-winning weekly cable television show and podcast, Open to Hope www.opentohope.com. Heidi is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, an award-winning author, and has a private practice in NYC. She has co-authored eight books, and has been interviewed on numerous television and radio shows, including 20/20. She serves on the Advisory Boards for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation, and the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation.

Listen to a message from Heidi.

Lindsay Bibler, Chapter Leadership Award

Lindsay was totally lost after her 21-year-old son, Alex, died suddenly from complications of H1N1 flu in December 2009. After several months she found TCF and has been part of the Cincinnati East Chapter ever since. She thinks it saved her life. In 2015, when the previous leaders resigned, Lindsay knew she could not run the chapter alone. She got her best friend, Susan Geisinger, whose daughter died at the same time of a similar problem and they became co-leaders. In order to avoid burnout, Lindsay and Susan asked some regular members each to do one task such as greeter at a meeting, writing DOB and DOD cards, and being treasurer. The steering committee has done a great job of helping each other to run the chapter if someone is sick or out of town.

Now a retired physician, Lindsay finds helping newly bereaved people helps her, as she was helped when she first arrived. She worked on the 50th anniversary TCF fundraising committee and gave a workshop with Dr. Robert Wubbolding at the St. Louis conference in 2018. She is honored to receive this award for outstanding TCF Chapter Leadership.

Listen to a message from Lindsay.

Pam Kroft, Chapter Leadership Award

Pam is Sean and Aaron’s mom, wife to Steve, mother-in-law to Mila, and grandma to Celina and Julian. The oldest of nine siblings, living in upstate New York bordering Pennsylvania with Steve while Aaron, Mila and grandchildren are in Maryland, five hours by car. Sean resides within a heart that will always long for one more hug. In October Sean will be gone a very long 26 years. When the number of years is said aloud or written, it is surreal, surviving his death for that long and learning (never dreaming it possible) to live a fulfilling life.

Pam retired in April after almost 50 years of employment with 25 years spent working with volunteers at a local hospital managing a café, volunteering ushering at a local university’s performing arts center, participating in local charity events, volunteering at a soup kitchen, decorating the hospital for Christmas, caretaking our angel garden, helping anyone that needs it, and as a TCF of Broome County chapter leader for nearly 24 years, which she says was a lifeline all those years ago.

Listen to a message from Pam.

Carol Ladouceur, Chapter Leadership Award

Carol, Kayla’s mom’s life was forever changed on October 24, 2010 with a knock on her front door by a State Trooper. She then heard the dreaded words that her 21-year-old daughter had been in an auto accident and did not survive. Kayla was her first born. She was invited to attend a TCF meeting a week after the funeral. She did not know it at the time, but this organization would be the healing balm in her grief journey.

She moved to Florida to marry and the nearest TCF Chapter was 2 hours away. With the help of two other moms and National TCF, the Bay County TCF chapter held their first meeting in January 2015. Because they were all new in grief, Carol says they offered what they knew at meetings: compassion. Eventually, from going to national conferences they held the Worldwide Candle Lighting, annual Walk to Remember, and doing community outreach. Carol and her chapter then decided to build a Children’s Memorial Garden as a special place for families to reflect. On June 20, 2020, the chapter dedicated the beautiful Children’s Memorial Garden. It is a legacy of love. Carol is both humbled and honored to receive the news of the award two days before Kayla’s 31st birthday. She wishes to say, “Happy Birthday sweetheart, I know you are smiling.”

Listen to a message from Carol.

Richard Miller, Chapter Leadership Award

Richard and his wife, Mary, have been involved with the Miami Valley Chapter since the death of their 29-year-old son, Brad. Brad died in October 2008 from complications of hemophilia and related issues. They have lived in the same house in Dayton, Ohio their entire 44 years of married life. Richard is a retired engineer and Mary a retired nurse manager. In addition to Brad, they have a daughter, Ellyn living in Los Angeles, CA.

They attended their first meeting of the Miami Valley Chapter in November 2008, the month following Brad’s death. Shortly thereafter, they became interested in being part of the Chapter Leadership Team. After several years of being on the team, Richard became Chapter Leader.

Richard and Mary felt a bond to the group and knew that it would be their mission to honor Brad’s memory by helping those who have lost loved ones. When people ask, “why have you been going to these grief meetings for all these years?” The answer is easy…” Someone was there for us when we started our grief journey.”

Listen to a message from Richard.