Dads Support Group Chief & Member of the Board of Administrators
Steve Shannon has been a part of the Alliance of Hope household since 2012. He’s a Senior Manufacturing Engineer and devoted household man whose son Patrick died by suicide on March 10, 2012, forsaking a beloved 2-year-old son who wanted a very good residence. Steve and his spouse Tina took on the duty of elevating William, their grandchild, who’s now 15 years outdated.
After Patrick died, Steve spent a number of months studying posts on the Alliance of Hope Group Discussion board earlier than he discovered the braveness to introduce himself. He says the nice and cozy replies he obtained led him to turn out to be an energetic participant, sharing his story and reaching out to help others. He credit the Alliance of Hope with saving his life.
Within the years that adopted, Steve grew to become one in all our discussion board moderators and was one of many first folks to boost funds for the Alliance of Hope again in 2015, after we had been all volunteer-run, with no paid workers. He joined our Board of Administrators in 2018 and has represented the Alliance of Hope at a number of conferences and outreach occasions to assist survivors, together with funeral administrators conventions and the AFSP Lengthy-term Survivors Convention. He has helped us develop stronger in our capability to assist increasingly more survivors.
Steve is deeply conscious of the necessity to help males of their grief. In 2019, he helped design and launch our Grieving Dads Help Group. He understands that societal expectations usually strain males to keep up a facade of energy, making it difficult for them to precise vulnerability and navigate their grief. He additionally believes that dads can enormously profit from having a devoted house to share their experiences with out judgment.
Steve believes sharing one’s story is usually a highly effective step in direction of therapeutic. He says: “It’s not nearly unburdening your coronary heart; it’s about lighting a path for others who stroll in related sneakers. I encourage these struggling to achieve out for help, be affected person with your self, and maintain onto the opportunity of discovering peace and goal past your ache.”
When he isn’t busy volunteering, working, or main packages for survivors, you’ll find him tenting or taking adventurous street journeys throughout the nation along with his grandkids. He’s at all times able to pitch in when somebody wants assist and at all times brings a smile to these round him. He has an enormous coronary heart, an amazing humorousness, and an enormous dedication to serving to others. He and his household reside in Grand Haven, Michigan.
