Welcome to the worst club on the internet!!!
Sorry you’re here but glad you’re here!
All jokes aside, Dead Dads Club, ddc for the lazy (me), exists to make grieving feel less lonely. You don’t even have to have a dead dad as a qualifier to join! Anyone grieving anything can and should be here. While this community was inspired by the loss of my dad, I’ve had my fair share of unexpected and varied versions of grief over the last three years - a home, the end of a 7 yr relationship, a beloved pet, etc etc. So, you could say I’m *qualified* to talk about grief. I hope you’ll find value in whatever state of grief you’re in.
A lil’ background on ddc
I lost my dad in November 2022, five years after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Throughout the years, I unknowingly documented the messy experience of grief in google docs, voice memos, and notes because I knew the feelings I thought would break me would also be something worth coming back to.
I was 25 years old when he was diagnosed and because of my age, most of my peers couldn’t relate. I felt really lonely, despite having a lot of well intentioned people trying to support me. I also felt guilty. I was living in NYC, chasing a big life, while my dad was in Holland. It wasn’t until I found people who could relate, who were in the same shitty boat of losing someone they loved, that healing began.
However, finding these people and staying connected was way harder than I thought it should be. I kept thinking there had be a grief community that felt right for me, a place where I could go to feel less alone and have conversations with others I related to. But I couldn’t find it. Everything felt disconnected (granted, it was the thick of Covid) or outdated (I am extremely online and probably over-value modernity). What I did find, though, were a lot of people in my extended circle who had gone through something similar and were looking for the same sense of community.
So, I made Dead Dads Club. And I’m so glad you found it.
Here’s what you can expect
Essays where I share my honest experiences with grief, live processing, and ongoing breakdowns/breakthroughs
Some will always be free
Some will be exclusive to paid subscribers and will be the ones that really go there, safe space, ya know?
Subscribers will also receive access to:
A closed chat of fellow grievers to connect and share
Reflection prompts in above chat to hopefully help with individual processing
Live conversations to connect with people that get it. Zero expectations, zero requirements. Each time, we’ll simply show up and see where the conversation takes us.
Why the paywall?
To keep out the trolls and keep it a safe space
To support my work — I would love this to become my primary source of income so I can expand my capacity to give and build an empire to make grief less painful, I’m so passionate about this work and hopefully you’ll see that as you become more familiar with the community
If for any reason you’re unable to cover the cost of a subscription, send me an email and I’ll cover your subscription. I never want money to be a barrier for healing.
xoxox Merel
