Stories of hope: KSMQ, Worlein partner on video about dealing with grief
Published 9:33 am Wednesday, April 30, 2014
![This photo shows a silhouette image of a boy featured in KSMQ’s “Embracing Grief.” Photo provided by KSMQ](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2014/04/0430-embracing-griefWEB.jpg)
This photo shows a silhouette image of a boy featured in KSMQ’s “Embracing Grief.” Photo provided by KSMQ
After losing a 29-year-old daughter to a brain tumor, one area family used the money they would have spent on her Christmas and birthday presents to buy gifts for children.
That’s one of the stories shared on “Embracing Grief,” a video made through a partnership by KSMQ Public Television and Worlein Funeral Home.
The 29-minute video features six families sharing their stories about losing a loved one and coping with loss. The speakers talk about the “new normal” families experience after the death of a loved one.
“What this does is give people hope that they’re not the only one that’s going through this process,” said KSMQ’s David Hagen, who works in underwriting and development.
Paul Worlein, a funeral director at Worlein Funeral Home, and Hagen had coffee and started discussing the project about a year ago to help people going through loss.
“It should help anyone who is going through grief,” Worlein said.
“Embracing Grief” first aired last year and won a national Telly Award. Worlein Funeral Home is now offering the video to their customers, support groups and anyone it will help.
“We want it to be a tool,” said Mary Kittelson, Worlein’s community services director who lined up the families for the video.
Worlein has the video available at their website and is offering it to any nonprofits in town.
“This is something that they can watch in their own home,” Hagen said. “Because everybody does something different in how they handle grief.”
The producers aren’t focused on profit, as Worlein said the main goal is for the video to be a resource for everyone coping with grief.
“It’s not a money making affair at all,” he said. “It’s just for people’s benefit.”
Hagen said the video will resonate with people who are middle-aged or older.
Worlein praised KSMQ’s Production Engineer Charles Czech and Eric Olson, KSMQ’s president and CEO, for their work in putting the video together.
Worlein and Hagen are looking into options for the video, and it could be aired statewide or even nationally.
Copies of the video can be picked up at Worlein Funeral Home, KSMQ, and the video was posted on Youtube.