The Survivors' Burial and Resource Guide : Step By Step Workbook for Regaining Control

It was a cold December evening. I recall being told my 15-year-old son Louis was brain-dead and there was nothing anyone could do to save him.

I remember leaving the hospital empty-handed, both physically and within my soul.

There were so many questions running through my mind: Where do I begin?

Which funeral home do I call? How much does a funeral cost? Who will help us?The media speculated about why and how my son was murdered was he gang-involved?

Was it drug-related? When word finally spread that Louis was an honor student who wanted to be the first Black president, our family received an outpouring of support and we were able to bury Louis in a way that honored his life.

Over the years serving fellow survivors of homicide victims, I have heard from countless families how the shame and blame they experienced in the aftermath of their loved one's murder prevented them from getting the resources they needed to lay their loved one to rest with respect.

All families of murder victims deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion, regardless of the circumstances.

Like your family, my family was not prepared to deal with the murder of our beloved son Louis.

There were so many things to do and pay for in such a small window of time.

This step-by-step workbook, created with the input of professionals, victim services providers, and survivors, shows how to build a support network so your family can get what you need and you don't have to go through this alone.