Life has very few certainties but one of them is that when Bridget Sakr finishes speaking, there is not a dry eye left in the room.
Bridget’s daughter Veronique and her three cousins Antony, Angelina and Sienna were killed by a drugged and drunk driver on 1 February 2020 in a tragedy that captured the attention of the world.
Her story of grief, and the way the search for meaning and purpose in the senseless loss of life enabled her to reach out to others who are grieving is nothing short of inspirational.
“I really believe this tragedy happened for the greater good and that greater good for me was to create a sense of purpose to help me to help others, especially the wounded hearts,” Bridget told The Catholic Weekly.
“I was privileged to have everybody come to me and my family because our tragedy was so public.”
But it became clear to Bridget that this type of support was not available to many others who were grieving, and so she established Heartfelt as a community to accompany others in their grief.
“I felt there was a real gap of spiritual accompaniment when people were grieving and so I embarked on establishing HeartFelt in order to provide that accompaniment, to give people the space to speak grief and to speak openly about their loved one.
“I wanted to reach out to those who had lost a loved one and let them know they’re not on their own.”
While it is a community of faith deeply rooted in the Catholic tradition, HeartFelt is open to anybody who has lost a loved one.
“Grief doesn’t discriminate,” Bridget says. “If you love, you will grieve.”
“People who reach out to HeartFelt can expect somebody who has had a lived experience of grief who can be there to be there to accompany them; to be part of a community who will listen,” Bridget explains.
“They can expect to be accompanied and to feel like that they are supported and they’re not on their own.”
One of these is Fiona McGrath, who describes HeartFelt’s Monday evening online gatherings as sacred ground. “This Foundation helps us move forward and enjoy those things in life that make us smile again,” she says.
Since its establishment in October 2020, HeartFelt has accompanied 450 people like Fiona, through a mixture of in-person and online gatherings, and Bridget aspires to reach so many more through more gatherings and retreats, a partnership with Grief Care and even an expansion into regional NSW.
To raise much-needed funds to expand HeartFelt’s work, an inaugural fundraiser will be held at Le Montage on 15 May 2025.
“We have a beautiful evening planned, with Michael Usher as MC, Mark Vincent as entertainment and Deborah Knight to moderate a panel of people who have been accompanied through grief. The evening will be heart-filled, and you will be part of supporting others.”
For more information about Heartfelt, or to purchase tickets to the fundraising gala, visit heartfelt.community.