Judi's House moves mission to help grieving children to Aurora after 20 years

For 20 years, Judi's House has offered comfort and solace for grieving children. Now the organization has moved to much larger and brighter space to help those kids and their families.

89,000 children in Colorado, or one in 14, will experience the loss of a parent or sibling by the time they turn 18.

For former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese, that life changing moment came when he was 12 and his mother, Judi, died of cancer.

"When we talk with Brian, he really talks about the fact that he felt very alone in his grief as a little boy," said Jessica Maitland Mayo, the CEO of Judi's House. "He felt like not many people had the experience he had."

That feeling followed Griese through high school, college and to Denver where he met his wife, Brook, who also wanted to help children in crisis. Griese used his platform as a Bronco to start Judi's House in 2002.

Now 20 years later, it has served more than 12,000 grieving families, families with kids like London. London's older sister committed suicide in October 2020.

"She was a goofball, she was nice," is how London describes Adrienne. "She would always dress up in vintage looks."

For London and his mother, Katie Essel, Judi's House gave them a place and space to heal by being with other people experiencing the same grief.

They started through the Pathfinders Program which is ten weeks of group counseling. Then they made connections where they could have support outside of Judi's House.

For Katie, the continuing support is important. "We live it everyday and sometimes you're like, 'Wait, I am still okay? Is this okay? Am I crazy? Am I losing it?' And they're like, 'No. I thought exactly the same thing."

For London, being around children his same age who had experienced the same loss was very important. "Getting to meet people people who have the same experience so they're not just like 'Sorry about your loss.'"

That's a key part of the mission of Judi's House with Maitland Mayo pointing to the success of their group counseling programs.

But she also say the new facility offers even more chances for healing by with lighter, bigger spaces in the new 26,000 square foot building that sits on the border of Aurora and Denver near the Stanley Marketplace.

"This truly has been a labor of love as we build our facility and now open our doors to continue to serve the community," Maitland Mayor said.

Building the facility really gave Judi's House a chance to build all the spaces as they envisioned them, art and drama rooms that weren't tucked into closets and a safe space to get rid of extra energy.

"(The) energy room where you can go in and literally bounce off the walls. We talk about grief having big energy. Part of grief is physical, not just mental."

Maitland Mayo also says having dedicated parking makes it easier for families to process grief just removing simple barriers.

That gives kids and families a chance to really focus on the tools they can carry with them forever for to help cope as grief changes.

It's a lesson London has already taken to heart. He uses his breathing buddy, a stuffed parrot, when he needs to re-center when he's stressed or angry.

And he knows just how important it is to talk about grief. "It's like a balloon. I just keeps on filling up and eventually it will pop and then you start all over." 

Judi's House provides free services for those in need and never turns anyone away.

If you'd like help Judi's House fulfill its mission you can still donate to the capital campaign  and they are always looking for volunteers.