Tragedy turning to healing

In 2022, tragedy struck our home when our 17-year-old daughter, Lucy, passed away. Our local community in Mesa rallied around us, placing 84 potted flowers on our lawn that spelled out, “WE TRUST”. This simple uplifting act, planted within us a desire to turn outward to our loving community for a way to start healing.

Later that year, while scalping our lawn to prepare for winter grass, I was inspired to leave patches of raised grass that spelled out the message “U R LOVED.” As neighbors passed by and saw the display, knowing the tragedy our family had endured, they told us the message gave them strength to face their own struggles. That profound moment brought the vision for a non-profit called HELLO SUNSHINE into focus—named in honor of our sweet Lucy, whose joyful greeting to us and others was always, “Hello Sunshine or Good morning Sunshine!”

Hello Sunshine’s dawned its first project, called “Project Signs” to spread hope, encouragement and love to high school teens. Eager to expand this uplifting movement far beyond Mesa, Arizona, we are taking it nationwide by delivering five black-and-white signs featuring foundational truths to high schools across the country. These simple yet powerful truths are intended to fill and positively impact the minds of the rising generation.