By Kristine Thomas
Silverton residents Genie Stoll, Judy Schmidt and Shannon Gossack didn’t ask to be invited to the “club” that has no official name.
They don’t wear why they belong to the club on their sleeves, but it is deeply engraved in their hearts. They learn who other members are only when they share their stories.
“I was amazed when people I didn’t know who had also lost a child came to me and said, ‘I know how you feel. I have lost a child as well,’” Genie said.
Almost 40 years does not ease the pain of losing a child, Judy said as she wipes away tears. Her daughter, Brooke, died when she was a week old.
“The pain never goes away,” Judy said. “Time heals everything but it can’t take away the memories or the hopes and dreams you had for your child.”
Shannon’s son, Nick, was 23 when he died June 20, 2010. Genie’s son Jeff Mickelson was 30 when he died Sept. 23, 2010.
Determined to do something to help other parents who have had to do the unthinkable – bury and mourn the loss of a child, Genie and Denny Stoll, Greg and Shannon Gossack, Bill and Judy Schmidt, and Jeri and Mike Block formed the nonprofit, Silverton’s Angel of Hope. Their goal is to raise $25,000 in monetary and in-kind donations to purchase a bronze Angel of Hope to be placed near the Gordon House at The Oregon Garden.
Erv Stadeli has volunteered to do the excavation work while Ron Thompson has volunteered to design the landscaping.
After reading an article about an Angel of Hope in Salem, Shannon approached Genie with the idea they should have an Angel of Hope in Silverton.
The Angel of Hope statue is based on the one written about in the novel The Christmas Box, by Richard Paul Evans. In the book, a woman mourns the loss of her child at the base of an angel monument. Paul Evans commissioned a bronze angel statue to be created and it was dedicated on Dec. 6, 1994 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since then, more than 100 bronze angel statues have been commissioned, including angels in Salem and Portland.
Genie, Shannon and Judy all said it is their hope that by having an Angel of Hope statue in Silverton grieving parents can have a place to go for solace, healing and hope.
“My son is buried at Willamette National Cemetery,” Shannon said. “I could go there but his spirit is really here. The other day I wasn’t having a good day and I wanted a place to go for a moment and reflect. We want a place where people can go to honor their children.”
When Shannon learned Genie’s son Jeff had died, she knew she had to do something.
“I couldn’t go to the funeral or the reception,” Shannon said. “I had received a book called Tear Soup from my counselor. I made my husband Greg go to the reception and give it to Genie.”
From there a friendship bloomed. They both know they have someone they feel safe discussing both the good days and the awful days.
“I can sit at Shannon’s kitchen table and talk about what I am feeling and I know she understands,” Genie said.
Working to bring an Angel of Hope to Silverton, Shannon said, is a way for her and Genie to “reinvest in life again.”
As director of volunteer services for Silverton Hospital, Judy knows when a family loses a child.
“The loss of a child is horrible. It’s a loss you can’t shake. You learn to live with it but you can’t shake the loss of a child,” Judy said. “The Angel of Hope will be a tranquil place for people to go and meditate.”
The Stolls have planted a tree and placed a bench for Jeff at The Oregon Garden.
“I go there when I need time alone to grieve,” Genie said. “It kind of calms me when I really hurt inside.”
That’s one reason she and her fellow board members are working to bring an Angel of Hope to Silverton.
“The angel is about hope,” Shannon said. “The angel is for healing and hope.”
“I see the Angel of Hope as a happy place to go and know the angel is looking after my son,” Genie said…
… Looking after all the children who have died and providing comfort to their parents, Shannon added.
What: Silverton residents Greg and Shannon Gossack, Denny and Genie Stoll, Bill and Judy Schmidt and Jeri and Mike Block are board members for Silverton’s Angel of Hope, a nonprofit organization.
Their goal is to raise funds to have a bronze angel called “The Angel of Hope” placed near the Gordon House at The Oregon Garden by December. The bronze angel costs $14,000. Other costs include the foundation, excavation, landscaping and inscriptions that could be covered by in-kind or financial donations.
When: The board plans to have the Silverton Angel of Hope statue in place for a candlelight ceremony Dec. 11, 7 p.m. The vigil is a public gathering for anyone who has lost a loved one. To spread the word Silverton’s Angel of Hope board members will participate in the Homer Davenport parade, Silverton Together Community Picnic and other events.
To donate: To make a contribution toward the angel and the base, tax deductible donations can be sent to: Silverton’s Angel of Hope, PO Box 256, Silverton, OR 97381. Volunteers are also needed for projects such as help with landscaping.
Information: Genie Stoll at 503-931-5100 or [email protected] or Shannon Gossack at 503-871-3075 or [email protected]
