The Beau Bear Organization was created after a Granbury family’s toddler died in an accidental drowning. Now they’re helping several families navigate the grief after the deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country.
The images and stories of devastation out of the Texas Hill Country are heartbreaking, and while many can sympathize with the families grieving, the co-owner of Beau Bear Organization knows firsthand the feeling of the unimaginable loss.
“It’s the worst team to be on, like you never want to be part of this clan, but when you are there’s a relatability that you can only get from somebody who’s walked through it,” said Alicia Mills, co-founder of the non-profit.
Mill and her husband’s youngest son of four kids, two-year-old Beau, died five years ago after an accidental drowning.
“Losing a child it’s just the worst. You don’t wish it on anybody,” expressed Mills, who became choked up reflecting on the tragedy.
“He was our little ranch baby, and he had these big deep blue eyes,” described Mills, who said they called him ‘Beau Bear’ because of his middle name Baron.
She said they created the non-profit, Beau Bear Organization, as a way to help other families deal with all the financial burden surrounding the tragic and unexpected loss of a child.
“He was fun, he brought joy, he was always happy, and so when we when we lost him we said what a great way to honor him. Gosh, his little life has just done a lot, and it’s really neat to see that, like God doesn’t waste anything,” said Mills.
The deadly flash flooding that occurred in the Texas Hill Country and Central Texas on the 4th of July weekend left more than 106 people dead. In Kerr County alone, a confirmed 36 kids lost their lives. There are still many people missing.
“When we heard about Camp Mystic and that there were so many children that were involved in this and then we heard of just the vast destruction that this flood caused just down Kerrville and through all of that county, we knew it wasn’t just going to be Camp Mystic girls, but other families that were going to lose children,” said Mills.
She posted a message on social media that was shared, and through word-of-mouth, they’ve been able to help out specific families. “We have covered about 14th funeral for these kids and I mean it just keeps coming in, so we’ve had a lot of personal phone calls with different families.”
The organization has received requests for items such as a mattress from people who lost everything, or just the ability to pay for items from the store.
“They’ve lost their credit cards, their driver’s license, their homes, multiple family members and so it’s not just the life of a child, which is enough for 10 lifetimes to grieve, but it’s all the other aspects of it of grief and loss that go along with it so I just can’t imagine so whatever we can do to help we’re just trying to alleviate some of that burden as they as they figure this out,” said Mills.
She said from their own experience, they’ve learned that this process is different for everyone.
“I think we really learned that grief is individual and everyone does it a little bit differently, but people need people and you can’t do it alone. Isolating is the worst thing you can do,” said Mills. “So whether it’s a text, a phone call, a dropped off meal, even if there’s not a response. I remember, I didn’t respond to most of the things, but it meant something to me and I remembered, so just being available and a listening ear and encouragement is something that’s all it takes.”
Mills said they’re also able to relate to families in similar situations to offer not only support, but hope.
“We’re about five years out from our tragedy, we can say hey, there’s hope. Like we’re still here like and we’re doing okay, like we’re doing all right and God’s redeemed this and he’s made something good out of it so just providing that just glimpse of hope and a hug and sometimes it’s just not saying much and just praying over them, but just knowing that they aren’t alone,” said Mills. “God has done so much healing in our hearts because we’ve opened ourselves up to like talking to other families who walk through it and knowing that grief comes in waves and it’s going to hit at certain times, but you come up for air and you’re able to breathe. There’s always a scar and a big deep cut there but it starts to heal and scab a little bit. We are part of something bigger and if we help and bond together we can help each other hold hands and get through it.”
To learn more about the Beau Bear Foundation, click here.
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