Send us Fan Mail In May of 2026, Sharon was interviewed by Greg Buffkin on his Hope After Child and Sibling Loss Podcast. This episode shares that interview. Thank you for joining us for this special episode. If you are a bereaved parent or sibling, please reach out for our Grace In The Wilderness resources at wildernessgrace.org. Please share this episode and information with those you know who have lost a child or sibling. There is also some helpful advice for those who love bereaved parents and bereaved siblings. Thank you for sharing, subscribing, and following our Finding Grace in the Wilderness Podcast. Excerpt from Greg's Podcast Notes about this interview: One minute you’re talking in the driveway, and the next minute your whole life splits into before and after. Sharon joins the podcast to tell the story of her son Bradley, a larger-than-life 21-year-old with a contagious laugh, an Eagle Scout’s grit, and a heart that kept pulling toward home. She also shares the moment that still feels unreal: Bradley’s sudden death after a skateboarding fall, and the blessing of a sweet visit just hours before. Bradley’s story starts even earlier, in Kharkov, Ukraine, where Sharon and her husband Scott adopted him from an orphanage in 2001. We talk candidly about international adoption, early neglect, attachment and bonding struggles, and his diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder. Sharon explains what those years are really like inside a family, how faith and steady mentors kept showing up, and why she holds tight to the hope that Bradley belongs to Jesus. We also get practical for bereaved parents and anyone who wants to support them: why “being present” matters more than advice, what to say when you don’t have words, and ways to carry memory forward through letters, photos, recordings, keepsakes, fundraisers, and traditions. Sharon shares her ongoing ministry, Grace in the Wilderness, plus her podcast Finding Grace in the Wilderness, built around Isaiah 43:19 and the promise that God makes a way in the wilderness. If this conversation helps you, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more grieving families can find real hope and support. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-grace-in-the-wilderness/id1755067020 http://www.wildernessgrace.org/ *** If you have an Apple account, please take a minute to leave a review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoy this podcast by clicking the link below. By doing so you help increase our visibility and discoverability for others, and we value your feedback! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-after-child-sibling-loss-the-empty-chair-endeavor/id1654053256 **** You can also opt to leave a review or rating on Podchasers by clicking the link below. Your opinions matter and mean so much to us! https://www.podchaser.com/HopeAfterChildSiblingLossTheEmptyChairEndeavor You can contact us by email at: hope@emptychairendeavor.com. You can email Sharon Hawkins also at sharonhawkins@wildernessgrace.org. Please like and subscribe to help more people find our podcast, to support the growth of the ministry and so you don't miss a single episode. Check out sharonhawkins.net for more information, show notes, blogs, and for inquiries about speaking engagements. Grace In The Wilderness Ministries' website is wildernessgrace.org. It lists information about our various ministries and ways you can support its ministries. Thank you!!
