‘The Voice’: Pia Renee Channels Whitney Houston in Stunning Tribute to Her Late Mother

“Navigating the loss of a loved one isn’t easy. Whether it be in death or the end of the road for a relationship, the brutal process of finding yourself again can come with an abundance of messy and dark emotions. While many deal with their grief in different ways, multi-instrumentalist SYML found solace in exploring the emotions with music, and the result is breathtaking…Bravely going to more detail on his personal life in the project, the singer revealed that it was inspired by his late father’s diagnoses with cancer two years ago, and while he never was able to hear the project, SYML muses that everything said on the project he had been able to say in real life.” https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2021/04/16/new-noise-syml/

Grieving father and jazzman Jimmy Greene, whose 6-year-old daughter shared his passion for music and loved to listen to her father play, was one of the students killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. In the midst of unimaginable pain, he turned his grief into new album called, “Beautiful Life,” a work inspired by and dedicated to Ana’s life. Ana loved to dance joyfully and she loved Disney movies, including “The Princess and the Frog,” whose dark-skinned Princess Tiana appealed to her. Mr. Greene asked the singer Anika Noni Rose, a childhood friend who was the voice of the princess in the film, to recite spoken word on his song “Little Voices” on the new album, which also features Kurt Elling, a Grammy Award winner, performing on “Ana’s Way,” and Javier Colon on “When I Come Home.” The recording also includes a duet by Mr. Greene and the guitarist Pat Metheny of the hymn “Come Thou Almighty King,” which  Ana liked to sing while her older brother accompanied her on the piano. “This has changed me as a human and you reflect that humanity in your art. It shapes you as an artist when you lose something so precious,” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/18/nyregion/grieving-father-finds-an-outlet-in-his-music.html?pagewanted=1

A 96 year old grieving husband turns grief over sweetheart of 75 years into a song that climbed to the top of the charts, and over 100,000 sold on iTunes. In the weeks after his loss, he read an ad in the paper about a contest. A recording studio in East Peoria, Illinois, asked readers for YouTube videos of their own song. The winner would get their song produced. They received a letter from a 96-year-old man.  In his letter, he wrote, “I can’t sing, I’m not a musician,” but they loved his lyrics. They told him they were going to record his song, and he tried to show them how it goes. After hitting the top of the charts, he asked the family “Who is this Justin Timberlake?” abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/96-year-widower-writes-song-late-wife-sweet-20124017 …

Jennifer Hudson channeled her grief over the death of iconic singer Whitney Houston into one of the most heartfelt and best song performances of her life at the Grammys Ceremony in Los Angeles. She broke down in tears following her emotional rendition of “I Will Always Love You” at the Grammys. ‘It was the greatest honor of my life to be able to be the one to pay tribute to Whitney’s memory.’  Jennifer not a stranger to grief,  turned her own unimaginable grief over the murders of her mother, brother, and nephew, into the creation of the Hudson-King Foundation for the Families of Slain Victims in their honor. “The purpose of the Foundation is to care for the needs of families who have lost relatives to a violent crime.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2100796/Whitney-Houston-death-Jennifer-Hudson-opens-grief-stunning-Grammys-tribute-performance.html

The unthinkable happened to Amy Grant Wolfe in 2006, when her 19 year old son, Colin, a Marine Lance Corporal was killed while on patrol in Iraq.  Rather than try to forget the circumstances of Colin’s death, Wolfe, the artistic director of the Manassas Ballet Theatre in Virginia decided to celebrate her son’s memory by creating an original ballet, “Colin:  Son, Marine Hero” which was performed at the Dore Theatre in California. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/entertainment/theater/x2042021574/Ballet-charts-journey-from-grief-to-cartharsis

Grieving family turn their grief into a mission to finish late son’s Claymation film, and it will now premiere at the Lumiere Arts Festival in Sydney. After the death of their 12 year old son from an inoperable brain tumor, his mom decided to take his more than 1,000 pictures of clay men and finish the project he had started. The video is “about a clay man that died and went to heaven and there’s a group of clay men that gather around, and then they decide, ‘Well, let’s go help him.’” cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/grieving-family-finishes-late-son-s-claymation-film-1.1868907 …

Grieving widow and artist, whose husband of 33 years died unexpectedly on his sleep the night before his son’s wedding, channels her grief into helping grief-stricken families through a non-profit designed to help you answer that question “How can I help you?” and really assist that grief stricken person. Grief doesn’t go

away, it heals and changes and this is a program that helps that healing. She works from photographs of the deceased and you can see some of her work on their web site at www.facetofacefineart.org. This is a ministry for her and it shows in her work. http://www.abc57.com/younews/219507121.html

Cartoonist grieving for fallen Indiana Metro Police Department (IMPD) Officer turns his and his city’s grief into a moving cartoon. Indianapolis is in grief. Indianapolis police officer gave his life in the line of duty trying to save others. No greater love has anyone than this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends. http://www.indystar.com/article/20130920/OPINION09/309200021/Cartoonist-Gary-Varvel-Grieving-for-fallen-IMPD-officer-Rod-Bradway?nclick_check=1

Grieving sister chronicles personal experiences and challenges of her family after sister’s unexpected sudden death into a play of hope for those who grieve. “Most people don’t know what to do in these situations, and the people around them don’t know what to say to support them. My hope for this play is that it will help people learn to cope with their grief and act as a voice for those who don’t know what to say – we will express it for them.”  http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2013/aug/29/life-play-depicts-hope-those-who-grieve/

A dozen years after 9/11, an American musician has turned memories of grief into survivor songs. His new album titled “Here/After (songs of lost voices)” is meant “to create a sense of hope and newness that can come from the grief. Otherwise, the people who did it win. I wasn’t in New York, I didn’t see the smoke and destruction, and yet my life changed that day – everyone’s life changed that day. But people outside the city were somewhat left out because there was an ownership of grief taken by New Yorkers and of course they had a right to it.” So after Sept. 11, 2001, he said, he looked for ways “outsiders” like him could mourn and grieve – and hope. http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/09/american_musician_turns_911_gr.html

Grieving granddaughter and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter turned her grief, and anger at God into a new album,  “Above Earth’s Lamentation”- A Musical Journey Through Grief: From Despair and Anger at God to Hope and Healing. “I’m not ashamed to say I was very angry at God, and I really wrestled with Him. I wondered, ‘How could you let this happen? Why? Did you forget us? While there’s plenty of literature on grief, she looked for solace in music because it touches her on a deeper level. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find anything appropriate outside of classical music, so she reviewed the songwriting she did during her own struggles and found they all dealt with exactly that topic. She made “Above Earth’s Lamentation” to be a healing blessing to everyone walking through grief now and in the future. patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2013/09/a-musical-journey-through-grief-from-despair-and-anger-at-god-to-hope-and-healing/ …

Grieving parents who lost daughters to domestic/dating violence turn grief into action through foundation and a play to educate others. Countless numbers of teenagers have seen the play and though the story is not theirs, it still resonates with many of them. “The Yellow Dress” is a stage play, a reality check and a lifesaver. It can be overwhelming and haunting, immediate and slow. “There wasn’t a sound, not a peep from the 250-plus junior class. The principal told me the next day that a young man approached her to ask for help.” tampabayparenting.com/article/grief-to-action/ …

Life was wonderful for Meghan Delobe.  She had met and married the love of her life and then became pregnant a few years later with her first child, Charlie.  Soon after this blissful event of giving birth, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.  During the last year of her life, 30 year old Meghan with a newborn and fatal disease put together an audition video for Oprah’s new network hoping to share her story with the world and motivate others. She created a video to inspire others to keep going despite life’s huge challenges. She wanted everyone to live and love life to the fullest.  Every second.  http://www.adventurizeyourlife.com/grief-2/upside-of-grief-meghan-delobes-astounding-adventure/

Grieving daughter, whose father was killed by a texting driver, turns grief into awareness and support for prevention documentary. The documentary, “From One Second to the Next,” is a 35-minute short film that emotionally recounts how lives have been forever changed by texting drivers. It tells the stories of both victims and perpetrators and is available to watch at ItCanWait.com. “Whenever someone approaches me for something like this, I say yes. That’s how I feel like my dad’s death wasn’t for nothing. It’s my way of coping with it.” standard.net/stories/2013/08/22/texting-while-driving-documentary-helps-utah-woman-cope-grief 

A grandmother’s heartbreak over a stillborn baby has led to plans for a world-class, $150 million concert hall and music conservatory in downtown Mesa, Arizona.  The plan is the brainchild of Christi Worsley and sprang from their daughter, Chelsea Hunt’s, loss of a son, Peter, eight months of pregnancy several years ago.  “It’s a personal story. A difficult story for me to tell because it’s emotional,”  Hunt found solace practicing and performing music saying, “When I sing in rehearsals, when I sing in concerts, I sing for Peter.”  Everything about this project and the reason I’m doing it is for the healing, for the powerful ability that music gives to heal. The campus would include an area called Peter’s Rose Garden to provide a place where other bereaved parents can plant roses in memory of their children.  http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/20130411mesa-grief-leads-to-concert-hall-dream.html

The shooting of 10 Amish school girls by the community’s non-Amish milkman in 2006, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania resulted in an extraordinary action.  Rather than seek retribution or shun the outside world, the grieving Amish families “embraced the shooter’s widow and her children, forging a path to healing for the entire community,” said Dean Gray, a Marshfield native who is a professional director. He is directing a fictionalized play, “The Amish Project” about the tragedy, “This isn’t just a play about the Amish. Yes, it’s about their extraordinary capacity to forgive, but it’s also about when terrible things happen in a community how it affects everyone, the entire community.”  The director further shared: “The play explores how the capacity to forgive coupled with the ability to accept forgiveness allows victims and those who are grieving to heal.”  http://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/article/20130819/MNH01/308190151/The-art-forgiveness-explored-local-drama

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton wrote “Over You” which is a country ballad about a personal experience Shelton had as a teenager when his older brother was killed in a car accident.  Lambert performed the song at the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards on April 4, 2012 and on November 1, 2012, Lambert and Shelton won the CMA Award for Song of the Year for “Over You.”  http://www.examiner.com/article/blake-shelton-miranda-lambert-emotional-as-over-you-wins-cma-award

Delays and false starts surrounded the 2003 release of Monica’s third album, “After the Storm.”  Yet it was just a minor bump compared with the personal upheaval she has gone through including witnessing her first love commit suicide, seeing an ex-boyfriend incarcerated on a murder charge, and becoming a parental figure in the upbringing of her deceased boyfriend’s child.  Rather than wallow in grief, the 22 year old R&B queen emerged from these personal tragedies with her serene demeanor, positive vibe and trademark sassy attitude intact and with a No. 1 album “After the Storm” debuting at the top of the charts. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/992916/New-album-helps-Monica-triumph-over-grief.html?pg=all

The beauty of the “Santa Rosa Ecological Reserve” in Southern California provides the backdrop for a grieving father’s lament upon losing his 26 year old son Nick in May 2010, to mental illness and addiction. Jim created a video,  “Boy…More than an Addict” as a tribute and to advocate for addiction recovery. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZ1ESOlvbM

An 18 year old British woman, Ruth Page, was diagnosed at 14 years old with a rare condition called Behcat’s disease though she had been showing symptoms since 3 years old.  Six months before her death, she recorded two videos describing her experiences and posted them on YouTube.  One includes a poem she wrote named “Imagine” which includes the line “Imagine watching your friends leave you and move on while you are left behind, just because you couldn’t always keep up.” After Ruth’s death, her mother, Amanda Moseley, 54, is comforted by the feedback from people around the world who have watched Ruth’s videos and have been encouraged. http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Grieving-mum-s-pride-tragic-Ruth-inspires-video/story-19453066-detail/story.html#axzz2XvXoFaOW

Alysia Reiner, a producer and actress remembers her dad, Charles Reiner, as one of the most vibrant, charismatic, alive people she’s ever met when he suddenly finds himself with terminal cancer in his early 50’s.  A handful of days before he is gone, Alysia finds herself with a lot of processing to do and part of the process was to create a film “Speed Grieving” with the dream of helping people to feel freer with whatever grief brings up for them so no one ever feels alone in the grieving process. http://www.speedgrieving.org/our-story.html

Micheal Bellott was 24 years old, a veteran of multiple arrests, when he was newly sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.  Bellotti’s cousin, Adam Carter, died of cancer while Belloti was in prison.  Belloti’s mother, Diana Williams, asked her son to paint a portrait of his cousin Adam as a Christmas present for his aunt and uncle, Adam’s parents.  The picture turned out beautifully and from that beginning, Bellotti has painted more than 30 paintings for other grieving families. http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1029958/391/Sent-to-prison-ex-drug-dealer-paints-for-grieving-families

In July 2007, 18 year old Leejay Levene went to a dental surgeon’s office to have his wisdom teeth extracted.  Due to unfortunate circumstances caused during administration of general anesthesia, he passed away.  Leejay had been a very talented, artistic and musical young man and fortunately, his mother Shirley Leven had kept all of his artwork throughout his life.  In 2008, Leejay’s grieving parents, Ronald and Shirley, created a calendar in memory of Leejay featuring his artwork.  Every year since then, they donate proceeds of that year’s calendar to a different charity in honor of their son. http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/3243932-the-leejay-levene-calendar-turning-tragedy-into-accomplishment/

Grieving husband, 77 year old Faizul Hasan Kadari, is building a monument of love to his late wife.  It is a miniature 50 feet by 50 feet version of the iconic structure Taj Mahal in memory of his late wife, Tajammuli Begum.  He embarked on the project after promising his wife, who did not have any children, on her deathbed that he would create something that she would be remembered by.  He spent his life savings and sold family heirlooms to build this Taj Mahal replica which has become famous throughout India.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2344329/Devoted-husband-spends-life-savings-build-scale-replica-Taj-Mahal-honour-dead-wife.html

Traci Wise’s husband died in Afghanistan on January 15, 2012.  Almost four months later, she caught her young son, Luke, one of her three children, sitting by a photograph of his deceased dad.  She posted a heartbreaking photograph of that moment called “Spending Time With Daddy” that recently went viral.  Traci says, “I haven’t lost my father … haven’t lost my grandfather.  I can’t imagine the pain that accompanied loss like that.  The only pain I feel is that this child and many like him will not get to have the experiences I did and that hurts.” http://www.ibtimes.com/spending-time-daddy-heartbreaking-photo-shows-son-grieving-loss-his-army-father-photo-1304273#

A grieving British woman, Karen Hilton, 51, is making a documentary to raise awareness and funds for the “Sue Ryder Home,” a hospice that cared for her partner, Robin Samson, who died at age 53 from cancer on July 11, 2012.  Ms. Hilton said “we felt cared for as a family and offered a sanctuary which lessened our pain and isolation.  This life-changing experience has inspired to champion the phenomenal work that is done within the Sue Ryder movement and…” http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/news.php?id=1295674

The Backstage Theatre presents the Colorado premiere of Joan Didion’s “The Year of Magical Thinking.”   The play chronicles the time Didion spent coping with the unexpected loss of her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne, while their daughter, Quintana, was in a coma in the hospital.  “It’s a story of her journey to process this loss emotionally and intellectually.”  http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20130329/AE/130329846

Twenty year old college student, Nico Nordstrom, who majors in photography at Texas State University likes to pursue conceptual photography evoking feelings and emotions in her photographs.  In 2010, her best friend of 10 years, Louis, passed away suddenly in his sleep.  Nico created beautiful photographs to honor him and help her get through this difficult time in her life. http://ca.screen.yahoo.com/college-student-turns-grief-beauty-220014471.html

Conrad Miller’s daughter, Lauren, who had been dealing with depression took her own life at the age of 16.  Grief was the impetus for Miller’s Gospel music career as he came to the realization of the brevity of life and the gift of music placed within him.  He hopes his brand new CD, “Keep Pressing” touches and bless people.  He said, “I want people to be uplifted, I want them to feel God’s touch in their spirits after listening to “Keep Pressing.” http://breathecast.christianpost.com/articles/gospel-artist-father-suicide-victim-conrad-miller-7207/

The No. 1 single on Billboard’s Digital Rock Songs chart “Clouds” in May 2013, was recorded by Zach Sobiech, an 18 year old teenager, who died from a rare form of cancer called osteosarcoma.  When his condition was determined to be terminal, the budding singer and songwriter went about writing “Clouds” and other songs last year as a farewell to family and friends.  Sobiech said he wanted to be remembered as “a kid who went down fighting and didn’t really lose.”  Proceeds from the single and album sales which have totaled more than $100,000 from December 2012-May 2013, are going to the “Children’s Cancer Research Fund.”  http://www.guelphmercury.com/whatson-story/3247400-no-1-single-brings-happiness-to-grieving-teen-s-family/

A grief-focused documentary, “Transforming Loss” about how to cope with the death of a loved one, follows six Michigan families who have experienced the death of a loved one.  The documentary’s message is “to engage the greater community and let them know that there is hope and recovery and it is possible to find joy after devastating loss…people will walk away with a sense of hope after seeing how resilient people can be.”  The documentary is being put on by The University of Michigan Depression Center  and “The Kite Network.”  “The Kite Network” tries to provide hope through peer support since it believes that through sharing  stories and verbalizing experiences of profound loss, healing follows.”  The “Kite Network” was founded by Doug and Julie Stotlar, who lost their 6-year-old daughter in 2000.  In her honor, they developed a community support system to help others with their grief.  http://www.annarbor.com/news/michigan-theater-to-host-documentary-screening/

A British grieving mother, Marie Heath, 54, and family will appear on “The Murder Workers Cutting Edge,” a show that follows the work of Victim Support’s national homicide team as they help families deal with their grief and stress during murder investigations.  Ms. Heath’s son, Lee Heath, 31, was beaten to death by three bouncers in a German nightclub in Frankfurt, the city where he had been living.  http://localuknews.co.uk/article/grieving+mum+to+feature+in+television+documentary

After attending the funeral of fellow K-9 Officer, Derek Kotecki, Mike Garrow picked up his guitar and began to write a song.  Garrow says the “funeral was exceptionally emotional and I had to say something.”  His grief led him to compose “Another Name Added to the Wall.”  The song title is a reference to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. which contains more than 19,000 names.  May 15^th, the day the article appeared on Garrow, is also National Peace Officers Memorial Day when police officers killed in the line of duty are honored. http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmonvalley/yourmonvalleymore/4019490-74/garrow-police-song#axzz2TO5cHdQ1

Hayley Jackson and Pete Heseltine agreed to be part of the popular UK Channel 4 documentary series, “One Born Every Minute” to raise awareness of their tragic son’s illness.  Baby Kaiden passed away when he was just six days old after suffering from a rare condition called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, which makes it nearly impossible to breathe unaided. His devoted parents and dedicated medical team did all they could to save his precious life before deciding to turn off his life support machine last July.  http://www.independent.ie/incoming/couple-share-the-grief-of-losing-their-sixdayold-son-on-one-born-every-minute-29151899.html

Grieving British husband, Alan Ainsley, 46 years old, sets up a blog, “Lou’s Story” to share words written by his wife, Louise Page, 42 years old, who died of bone cancer in May 2013, after receiving the devastating diagnosis that her bone cancer was untreatable just five months earlier.  Page had written 16 essays, some only a few paragraphs long, about living with terminal cancer.  She made cancer and chemotherapy look like something to be managed, not feared, giving hope to thousands of fellow cancer sufferers.  http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/grieving-husband-hails-tragic-blogger-1911366

A grieving British woman, Karen Hilton, 51, is making a documentary to raise awareness and funds for the “Sue Ryder Home,” a hospice that cared for her partner, Robin Samson, who died at age 53 from cancer on July 11, 2012.  Ms. Hilton said “we felt cared for as a family and offered a sanctuary which lessened our pain.  http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/news.php?id=1295674

Gabby Logsdon, 12 years old, met Zoe McDonough at camp in the summer of 2011.  After camp, each girl went her separate ways.  Then in July 2012, Gabby caught her friend’s name in the news.  Zoe and her grandmother had died when their pontoon had flipped over on a lake.  Memories of their friendship inspired Gabby to create a quilt personalized with designs of all the ”favorites” the two had shared while bonding at camp.  The quilt was a means for Gabby to express her grief and sympathy while offering the McDonoughs comforting memories of their daughter.  Since then, Gabby has voluntarily sewn 30 personalized quilts for families who have lost loved ones.  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/apr/11/quilts-for-a-cause/?print

Following the loss of two friends to suicide, Mark Linkous and Vic Chesnutt, singer Angela-Faye Martin channeled her grief into art by releasing “Anniversary.” It is a recording which is an homage to lost friends and cherishing the time we have left together.  http://www.shufflemag.com/interview-angela-faye-martin-discusses-the-grief-and-redemption-that-inspired-her-latest-effort-anniversary/

“Whispers of Light” is a 70 minute ballet which premiered on February 22, 2012, and was performed by the Bodiography Contemporary Ballet Company.  It is a poignant ballet performed by 18 dancers along with 14 children which weaves together nine vignettes chronicling the spiral of emotions of children grieving the loss of a parent, sibling, loved one.  Its powerful story brings to life the work of Highmarks Caring Place and has left a lasting impression on many.  The “Caring Place” is a children’s center for grieving children, adolescents and their families in Western Pennsylvania.  http://www.pghcitypaper.com/ProgramNotes/archives/2013/02/19/ballet-inspired-by-grief-center-premieres

Australian jazz diva June Hayes had a challenging couple of years.  First, her son Hayden died in a motorcycle accident in Perth in October 2010, then her father died suddenly 8 days before the first anniversary of Hayden’s death.  Her grief inspired her latest album, “Journey for the Return Home” released in early 2013.  Joyce sees her album as a vehicle for providing inspiration, encouragement and hope to others who are “journeying through mourning.” Not that grief ever fully goes away.  You just learn to live with it in an easier, accepting kind of way.”  In sharing her story, she hopes to encourage and inspire others to be brave and do whatever they need to do to make it as they go through the grieving process. “My son gave me a sound piece of advice just weeks before he died.  He said “do what you want to do Mom, and be happy.”  http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/north-harbour-news/8591950/Tough-experience-inspires-an-album

Grieving families turned grief into an art exhibit to raise awareness about grief and loss in their community. The “Healing and Hope: Expressing Grief Through Art” exhibit will feature art and poetry created by grieving individuals and families. “The artwork on display sheds light on the grieving process, both as an individual journey and as a collective experience. http://www.shipnewsnow.com/2013/10/area-residents-explore-pathways-through-grief-in-new-shape-exhibit/