I lost my father James Sallies Lwanga to a COVID-related heart attack in 2021, and it shattered me. I spiraled into depression, suffered cardiac arrests, panic attacks, and became suicidal. I felt like I was losing my mind. My family, despite their best efforts, almost gave up on me because nothing seemed to help. My father was my anchor, and without him, I felt adrift, unable to move forward.
In an attempt to find meaning and heal, I returned to school in the United States and pursued a postgraduate degree in grief care, palliative care, and end-of-life trauma. Studying these subjects was deeply personal for me, as I was living through the very experiences I was learning about. I excelled in my studies because they were more than just academic—they were my reality.
Tragically, I also lost my maid of honor to a cardiac arrest, which deepened my grief even further. But rather than letting it consume me, I chose to channel my pain into helping others. I opened a grief center in memory of my father, where we offer grief therapy to those who are struggling.
Before this, I had seen over ten counselors, but none of their approaches seemed to resonate with me. Through my own journey, I’ve learned that grief is like an ocean—calm one moment and turbulent the next. The only way to navigate it is by acknowledging and honoring it. If you don’t, it can destroy you.
I believe that everyone has an inherent strength and resilience to pull themselves through even the darkest times. A friend once told me, “After every tragedy, there is always a positive outcome.” At the time, I couldn’t accept those words, and I didn’t speak to her for weeks. But now, looking back, I see the truth in them. My journey through grief has led me to a place where I can help others heal, and that is the positive outcome of my own tragedy.
Said this at PCAU event on July, 09, 2024