Awareness raised for grief support organization

The topics of grief and healing hit home for hundreds attending a breakfast gathering Tuesday morning in support of Erin’s House for Grieving Children.

Author and CBS This Morning contributor, Lee Woodruff attended as the fundraiser’s featured speaker. 

Woodruff spoke of her family’s healing following her husband’s critical brain injury in 2006.  ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff was hurt in a roadside bomb explosion while on assignment in Iraq.

“I think when you share your stories and people connect around the stories, then they begin to understand that they’re not isolated and not so alone,” Lee Woodruff said.

Woodruff acknowledged the timeliness of her visit as the Fort Wayne community continues healing after the murder of Aliahna Lemmon, 9, in December.

“As a community, to be able to pull together… Putting those boots on the ground and taking one step forward, sometimes that’s all we get to do,” she said to the crowd.

Erin’s House has been instrumental in the Holland Elementary classroom coping without their young schoolmate, according to teacher Shannon Harris.

“[Erin’s House] gives us that healing and the hope for the future,” Harris said.  “We need these kinds of resources available so that God forbid should this ever happen again; we know where to turn for help.”

Tuesday’s Common Bond breakfast helped raise more than $60,000 for Erin’s House.