Helping the Hurting by Karis

Helping the Hurting by Karis - March 2026 Scholarship Essay

Last year, on Thanksgiving Day, my best friend Grace lost her dad. He was forty-six and had suffered from a stroke five days prior. After rushing him to the emergency room, the family was told the news that he was brain-dead. Those five days of dread, grief, and mourning were so difficult not only to Grace and her family but to our whole community and me. I remember all the hours spent crying, talking, and holding on to Grace and her sisters. This was such a hard time of anger, grief, sorrow, and pain. So many people showed up in that waiting room for support, but I struggled to find words of encouragement or things that I could do to help. How do I comfort someone who is experiencing this amount of pain? What could I say or do to help or to fix this?

The truth is that I could not fix this. I did not have all the perfect words of encouragement, and I could not take away the grief. But that did not mean I could not try. This experience helped me realize the importance of showing up, being present, and sharing in another's pain. I learned how sometimes a shoulder to cry on is more beneficial than words. This type of love and intention is so much more powerful and helpful than people realize.

I learned through this time that I had a heart for the hurting. I wanted to be able to help people and give my care and attention to those broken and struggling. This newfound desire to help and nurture motivated me to study and research grief, depression, and anxiety to help those who may be facing endless hidden battles of hurt that they choose to push away.