SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For more than a year police told a mother her daughter's death was a suicide.
NewsChannel 5's Kim Rafferty met with Jamie Dickerson in Shelbyville in September when that story changed and a man confessed to her daughter's death. Jamie said she hoped to offer support to others facing such grief and in a short time that hope became reality.
Keys unlock the new grief center on Union Street and another step in Jamie Dickerson's journey. The center will open Sunday for anyone that needs a place to relax.
"Because grief affects you socially, mentally, physically, my hope is that when they come in here, they leave here feeling better, they are able to go to work with a better mindset," said Dickerson.
In September the Metro Nashville Police Department moved her daughter April Holt's death off of the suicide list when Holt's husband Donavan Holt confessed to her death.
It's been tough for Jamie who just knew Donavan had something to do with it.
"This is my connection to April, losing her and having a place of peace, I feel like her presence is around me," said Dickerson. "What Donavan has done, he has already done, he is arrested, he does have charges and in my opinion I have to move past that."
In the month since, Dickerson worked hard to open a grief center in Shelbyville. Holiday decorations fill the rooms, and she is ready for the doors to open on Sunday.
"There will be grief art therapy, there will be a youth game night for kids that are grieving," said Dickerson. "We will have a book club that helps with healing, it will all be uplifting."
When Dickerson looks at the space she's created to help heal her community, she knows her daughter April is close by.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Kim.Rafferty@newschannel5.com.
There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom
