New grief group helps homeless, vulnerable teens, young adults in Tucson | Local news

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New grief group helps homeless, vulnerable teens, young adults in Tucson | Local news

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She is looking for ways to keep it going well beyond the next 18 months.

“Many of these youngsters never had the opportunity to go to a safe place and talk about the losses they suffered,” she said. “You felt very isolated.”

“Don’t accept that he was gone”

One of the teens who recently took part in a mourning series is Deana Nuñez, who lived in the Navajo Nation for most of her teenage years but returned to Tucson after her father died here of COVID-19.

Nuñez, 20, moved in with her grandmother and began working to finish high school with the help of Meeks’ Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona program. Then her grandmother died too – also from COVID.

One of the most difficult days was the last month, the one year anniversary of her father’s death. She had attended a family gathering to pray the rosary and felt overwhelmed.

In a survey of teenagers currently or previously associated with the Pima County juvenile justice system, the death of a loved one or family member is one of the most commonly reported trauma.

Having confidence to tell his story and I hope that by telling his story we can begin to build a more compassionate and just world. Find out more and get involved at www.azendoflifecare.org



“I didn’t accept that he was gone,” she said.

“I reached out to the Goodwill people,” she said, explaining that she was telling them everything that had happened in the past year. She appreciated the way it was set up with icebreakers first and then the real exchanges began.

“I didn’t know how I would feel if I told strangers about my grief,” said Nuñez. “It was amazing to see everyone join in and talk and share their stories.”

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