Losing a child is the most devastating pain a parent can experience. It is a grief that doesn’t heal — it becomes a part of you. I know this because I lived it. The day my child died, my world broke open. There is no manual for how to continue breathing after that. There is only shock, disbelief, and a silence inside you that never fully goes away.

But while I was trying to survive the darkest days of my life, the world around me didn’t stop. Bills didn’t pause. Work didn’t pause. Expectations didn’t pause. Like many grieving parents, I felt pressure to return to “normal” when there was no normal left. No parent should be forced to choose between their job and their grief.

That is why I am fighting for Sage’s Law, a bill that would give Louisiana parents who lose a child 4–8 weeks of paid bereavement leave. This time is not a luxury — it is a necessity. Parents need time to arrange services, support surviving children, handle legal and financial matters, and simply begin to process the unthinkable reality of life without their child.

The research supports this:

1 in 5 bereaved parents experience severe psychological distress within the first year after their child’s death.
Parents who return to work too soon face higher rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Most U.S. states do not require paid bereavement leave, meaning parents often lose income when they need stability the most.
Studies show that even 5–7 days is not enough to emotionally or mentally stabilize after the loss of a child.
Sage’s Law also includes a second, crucial part:

Bereavement Etiquette & Compassion Training for Workplaces
Many grieving parents return to work and face uncomfortable silence, avoidance, or unintentionally hurtful comments. Most coworkers simply don’t know what to say — and the result can be deeply painful.

This training would teach employees how to:

Support a grieving coworker appropriately
Avoid harmful phrases (“everything happens for a reason,” etc.)
Understand trauma responses and emotional changes
Create a compassionate work environment
This isn’t about forcing anyone to be perfect — it’s about building awareness and kindness in places where parents spend most of their day.

I am sharing my story in the hope that no parent in Louisiana ever feels as alone, rushed, or unsupported as I did. Grieving parents deserve time. They deserve compassion. They deserve understanding. And they deserve a workplace that respects the depth of their loss.

Please join me by signing this petition. Together, we can bring Sage’s Law to Louisiana lawmakers and make our state a place that honors grieving families with the dignity they deserve.