The journey of losing a love one

Mike Johnson
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Local author Bryant Thigpen will be at Madison Used Books, located at 254 SW Range Ave., in Madison on Friday, Sept. 17, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., speaking on The Journey of Losing a Loved One. Thigpen's speech will discuss how he lost his beloved wife, Stephanie, and the experiences of pain, depression and loneliness he had to walk through in the days that followed. Thigpen's experience taught him that God is present, no matter the things you may witness and experience, and He is available with a hand out and open ears to help guide you and listen to your struggles. Thigpen will have copies of his book, Never Alone, available for purchase at the event. Losing his wife to cancer at the young age of 28 was an experience that Thigpen never imagined would happen. Even though Stephanie had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, she’d had a miraculous recovery. Her determined will to overcome the illness gave their family hope that it was gone for good. However, an MRI result on Aug. 27, 2015, hit their family like a ton of bricks. It revealed that a five-centimeter tumor had formed and the cancer was back. For the next 10 months, the couple experienced many ups and downs in their fight against cancer. While their journey was filled with many trials, their hope and faith never failed as they received many blessings from the Lord. In his book, Thigpen shares their story and the struggles Stephanie went through with her illness, and the challenges he faced while being her caregiver. “No person should have to deal with the loss of a loved one, but ultimately losing my wife to this atrocious disease at a young age has hurt the most,” said Thigpen. Knowing they still had a wonderfully full life ahead of them hit hard, but in the middle of the fiercest storm, Thigpen discovered he was not alone. He was surrounded by many helping hands that the Lord sent to give him the strength and guidance he needed to get on his feet and keep moving forward in life. Most importantly, Thigpen realized that beyond what he could see or feel, God was there with Him. Knowing that he wasn’t alone on this journey was the key that helped Thigpen persevere and still helps him today. “Losing a loved one to death is one of the most difficult things a person will face in their lifetime. It is accompanied by days of sorrow, grief and loneliness and healing that doesn’t come overnight.” Thigpen stated emphatically. For those searching for the comfort of knowing that the Lord is by your side during your trials and tribulations, this will be the place for you. Thigpen's experiences and words of encouragement may just help you along your journey in knowing that you are never alone. Mark the event on your calendar and enjoy an evening of encouragement that will remind you that the Lord is always there for you, no matter what issues you are going through.