Former Fort Bragg soldier helps victims' families manage grief

Kimberly Franco retired early to become a suicide prevention specialist on post after her brother took his own life in 2011. The grief she deals with every day inspired her to create care packages for the 17 families who are mourning loved ones in the wake of last week's shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School.

"Once they receive the package, they can go right to work," Franco said. "The books that are part of our care package will help you understand grief and help the counselors to better help those children, as well as finding help for themselves."

After Franco's brother died, she said it was like a whirlwind of pain.

"I just remember falling to my knees and not knowing what to do. Just to sit there and sob and cry," she said. "But I had to put my face back on because I knew my mother was not in the house at the time, and he killed himself in her house."

Franco said she also uses the book "Life After Loss" with Gold Star families and soldiers at Fort Bragg. She read the same book to help herself after her loss.

"What we encourage people to do is get the stationery and write down your favorite memories," she said. "My brother would be his laugh and his funny stories that we share. Write those things down and put it in the treasure box. So, that in years to come, for example with my brother's children, they can go read those memories."

Franco's non-profit, One Common Bond, has collected enough money to send grief packages to six of the 17 families. She hopes to travel to Florida to deliver more.

"That's very lasting and it's something. It's a treasure chest for a reason. It's your treasure chest on that shelf," she said.

The Department of the Army honored Franco with an award for her work saving and celebrating lives of soldiers and their families with one of her suicide prevention programs at Fort Bragg.