Turning Grief into Action
Grief looks different for everyone, but one of the most healing ways that family members can deal with difficult loss is to channel the feeling into action. Autumn Mehta, who lost her younger brother Gabriel to overdose, and Jerry Pierson, who lost his wife Carrie to cancer, have both moved forward in their process by using the loss to serve others. Both have found comfort in continuing to engage with Hospice and are serving the community through creative work.
Autumn’s brother was not involved with Hospice during his life, but Hospice’s grief resources in Montgomery County were one of the first places she sought support after he passed. She began seeing a Hospice grief counselor regularly, and soon she’ll be volunteering for the first time as a Big Buddy at Camp Jamie. Her counselor encouraged her in coming together with a friend to develop a clothing brand supporting suicide prevention and addiction recovery. “It’s a gym clothing brand, which speaks to what I’ve always used to push through hard times,” Autumn says. “Most of all I want people to know that drugs and alcohol can’t fix pain, only mask it, and that no one who struggles with mental health is alone.”
Carrie Pierson was in hospice for 10 days after more than 14 years of being in and out of remission from cancer – once they made the decision to cease treatment, Jerry says, she quickly transitioned and let go. He also had the support of hospice in the passing of Carrie’s mother, who had been in her mid-90s, and died not long after Carrie herself. It was a lot of loss in a short window of time, and in order to cope, during that first year, Jerry began writing a book. For inspiration, he drew from a journal he found that Carrie kept. Initially, he had been completing the work mainly for himself, but as he continued, he saw its potential to support others who had dealt with long-term cancer and caregiving responsibilities, and he had the book published in April of 2026.
Both Autumn and Jerry continue to be involved in Hospice programs – Autumn with Camp Jamie and Hospice’s new Horse Therapy Program, and Jerry as a visitor and volunteer. To learn more about Autumn’s clothing brand, follow @ withhopeunbroken on Instagram or visit withhopeunbroken. com; Jerry’s book “Carrie’s Journal: A Journey Through Life and Loss” is available on Amazon.
