Some losses are unthinkable. And when they happen, they are even more unbearable than you could ever imagine.

For Luke and Jodi Veldt, the unthinkable struck in broad daylight, ripping away from them what could never be replaced. In the aftermath of a parent’s worst nightmare, Luke Veldt was surprised to discover what has been discovered by many others: “All speak of a battle, of questioning everything they’ve ever believed, of dissatisfaction with easy answers. All speak of a new identity, of lives suddenly and permanently transformed. All speak of things learned and gained at terrible cost.”

Still, Luke felt compelled to tell his family’s story of unimaginable loss. He likens himself to a “discoverer of the North Pole” who, after an unforgiving and treacherous journey “reaches his goal and finds that it has been discovered thousands of times before—yet finds his own journey no less valuable because of its commonness.”

If you’re a parent who has experienced the unthinkable, you will find that Luke understands the agony you’re going through. He speaks your language. It is our prayer that the story of his tragic loss and what he has discovered along the way will help you put words to your own tears as your grief-stricken soul struggles to find its way. And we hope that the follow-up sections written by counselor Jeff Olson will be encouraging and helpful to you.

RBC Ministries