- G
- J
4 years ago I was stuck in a custody battle for my 15 year old daughter, Zoi. She wasn't handling things well, at all. So much so that she was living in a halfway house, but was able to come home and visit on weekends. This one particular weekend, I was planning for us to go to breakfast at the Mug N' Muffin in our town and maybe catch a movie. I picked her up and brought her back to the house. She was upstairs listening to music up in her bedroom - burning jasmine Incense and putting on one of those henna tattoos with a cool sun design on her hand. I went up and asked if she wanted to make some kale chips and she said "sure!" Afterwards, she helped me clean up the kitchen and said she wanted to go to bed early. As always I said "I love you pumpkins", and she said "I love you too, Dad."
I sat down to do some work on my computer and went up a little later to say goodnight. I opened her bedroom door and Jonathan Fruiscante's guitar was playing in softly on the stereo, a string of Christmas lights was lit around the perimeter of her room, but I didn't see Zoi in her bed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see she was standing in her closet. I thought she was going to jump out and scare me and I said "Zoi, what are you doing?" She didn't answer me. She wasn't standing in her closet.
I called 911.
A few days later over 900 people came to Zoi's wake. 900 people! Her friend Kelly came over to me crying. I just gave her a big hug and I said "it's going to be ok sweetie. Zoi would want you to remember all of the good times you had together, right?” And then Sarah came over and said "I'm so sorry Mr. Hodgdon. Zoi was so nice to me and she was always smiling”. A lot of friends told me how much Zoi impacted, inpsired and gave them hope. As more and more people came up to me and shared their stories of Zoi and told me they were sorry for my loss, I was sorry for THEIR loss because I knew what we were all going to be missing: her smile, voice, energy, and her philosophy to “Just be”.
It took me months before I started to feel somewhat normal. I wasn't eating well, I stopped exercising, and my head just wasn't in the right place. And, it took a lot of time for it to sink in that Zoi would be so pissed off at me if she knew I was letting all of these good memories from her life stop me from living MINE. It was then that I vowed to fight for myself, my family and all of her friends so that we could ALL find a pathway back to better days.
I started to experience "Zoi" all around me too. Maybe it was a song on the radio, or the smell Jasmine in the air, and seeing black chuck T's everywhere. You see, in the Greek language, the name Zoi... means, life. Go,live yours, raise your frequency to see the beauty in it, and when life knocks you down, you get back up, every time.
I am so very grateful that you are considering donating to this campaign.
Last year, I embarked on a journey to begin telling Zoi's story. At that time I did not realize the impact it would have, what direction it would take, or that I would be continuing forward on a path to share it with as many people as I could. My goal is to to honor my daughter Zoi's life by sharing who she was and the amazing tracks she left on this earth. I am working to get this message out to the public via video, public speaking on stages, at schools / colleges and a most importantly - a weekend retreat designed to help people to learn how to overcome loss.
To date, I have spoken:
- At Zoi's High School - to her graduation class of 300 plus students and faculty.
- At a sales event at my workplace in Boston with 20+ people in the room.
- Most recently at a men's leadership retreat in Tampa, Florida to 40+ people in the room.
Over the course of the last year, I have attended several professional workshops and leadership events. Some have become yearlong training programs extending into this year and next. This learning is spread out over serveral dates, and different cities in and around the U.S. The funds raised will be committed to the both the payment of the workshops / training programs, the travel necessary to attend them, and the development of speaking programs described above.
I am thankful for ANY contribution to this campaign. Thank you all. Much love!!
-Eric (Zoi's dad)
I sat down to do some work on my computer and went up a little later to say goodnight. I opened her bedroom door and Jonathan Fruiscante's guitar was playing in softly on the stereo, a string of Christmas lights was lit around the perimeter of her room, but I didn't see Zoi in her bed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see she was standing in her closet. I thought she was going to jump out and scare me and I said "Zoi, what are you doing?" She didn't answer me. She wasn't standing in her closet.
I called 911.
A few days later over 900 people came to Zoi's wake. 900 people! Her friend Kelly came over to me crying. I just gave her a big hug and I said "it's going to be ok sweetie. Zoi would want you to remember all of the good times you had together, right?” And then Sarah came over and said "I'm so sorry Mr. Hodgdon. Zoi was so nice to me and she was always smiling”. A lot of friends told me how much Zoi impacted, inpsired and gave them hope. As more and more people came up to me and shared their stories of Zoi and told me they were sorry for my loss, I was sorry for THEIR loss because I knew what we were all going to be missing: her smile, voice, energy, and her philosophy to “Just be”.
It took me months before I started to feel somewhat normal. I wasn't eating well, I stopped exercising, and my head just wasn't in the right place. And, it took a lot of time for it to sink in that Zoi would be so pissed off at me if she knew I was letting all of these good memories from her life stop me from living MINE. It was then that I vowed to fight for myself, my family and all of her friends so that we could ALL find a pathway back to better days.
I started to experience "Zoi" all around me too. Maybe it was a song on the radio, or the smell Jasmine in the air, and seeing black chuck T's everywhere. You see, in the Greek language, the name Zoi... means, life. Go,live yours, raise your frequency to see the beauty in it, and when life knocks you down, you get back up, every time.
I am so very grateful that you are considering donating to this campaign.
Last year, I embarked on a journey to begin telling Zoi's story. At that time I did not realize the impact it would have, what direction it would take, or that I would be continuing forward on a path to share it with as many people as I could. My goal is to to honor my daughter Zoi's life by sharing who she was and the amazing tracks she left on this earth. I am working to get this message out to the public via video, public speaking on stages, at schools / colleges and a most importantly - a weekend retreat designed to help people to learn how to overcome loss.
To date, I have spoken:
- At Zoi's High School - to her graduation class of 300 plus students and faculty.
- At a sales event at my workplace in Boston with 20+ people in the room.
- Most recently at a men's leadership retreat in Tampa, Florida to 40+ people in the room.
Over the course of the last year, I have attended several professional workshops and leadership events. Some have become yearlong training programs extending into this year and next. This learning is spread out over serveral dates, and different cities in and around the U.S. The funds raised will be committed to the both the payment of the workshops / training programs, the travel necessary to attend them, and the development of speaking programs described above.
I am thankful for ANY contribution to this campaign. Thank you all. Much love!!
-Eric (Zoi's dad)