Help Bring Rainer Home: Support for Annette & Simon

There’s a term called “death out of order”, it’s an odd turn of phrase for one of the hardest things any parent will ever face. Sadly, this was the case for Annette and Simon after receiving the tragic news that their son Rainer had passed. There are no actual words for the grief a parent faces when losing a child, it’s a grief that will follow them forever. Even as friends we struggle with how to best help, there are customs like dropping off food, offering our condolences, and in this case, helping to offset the financial burden of losing a loved one.

Aside from the usual funeral and medical expenses no parent is ever ready for, Rainer was found in North Carolina adding another level of complexity to this tragic week for Simon and Annette. As people who care deeply for everyone involved, I’m asking for people’s aid to take some of this weight off their shoulders as they try to cope, to grieve, and to help bring Rainer home.