Finding Healing Together: How Gold Star Parents Retreat Supports Military Families
Fort Worth, TX (March 10,2026) – Finding Healing Together: How Gold Star Parents Retreat Supports Military Families For parents who have lost a son or daughter in military service, grief is a journey marked by deep isolation—a pain that only others who have walked the same path can truly understand.
In 2016, Beth and Terry Burgess founded the Gold Star Parents Retreat in memory of their son Bryan, who was killed in action during the Global War on Terrorism. Their personal heartbreak became the catalyst for a movement of compassion and connection. What started as a lifeline for two grieving parents has grown into a vibrant community of hope and understanding. The retreat welcomes parents who have lost children in military service, offering them a space to share their stories, find genuine understanding, and rediscover moments of healing together.
Like so many other grieving parents, Terry found that existing support systems rarely addressed the unique, lifelong challenges faced by mothers and fathers whose children never came home.
“After our son Bryan was killed in action, I sank into a deep depression,” Burgess said. “My wife Beth started searching for some kind of therapy group for dads who were grieving. She found many organizations for Gold Star children and spouses, but almost nothing for parents.” Recognizing that gap, the Burgesses created a retreat where parents could come together and speak openly with others who truly understood their loss.
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A Place Where Parents Understand Each Other
Gold Star Parents Retreat is an all-inclusive three-day weekend designed specifically for parents of fallen service members. Parents attend regardless of branch of service or cause of death.
The retreat focuses on building genuine connections rather than traditional therapy. Parents share their stories, participate in meaningful activities, and explore new ways to honor and celebrate the lives of their children.
“Our goal is to honor their son or daughter regardless of branch of service or cause of death, not to try to fix their grief,” Burgess explained. “We are not therapists. We are parents who also lost a child in the Global War on Terrorism.”
Terry remembers one father who attended a retreat only because his wife encouraged him to go. At first, it was clear he did not want to be there. On Saturday evening, a group of fathers began talking about the places their sons and daughters had served. One father mentioned a base in Iraq where his son had been stationed.
The reluctant father leaned forward. His son had been stationed at the same base at the exact same time and in the same unit. In that moment, his hesitation disappeared. He joined the conversation and later became a regular guest at the retreats.
“At one of the retreats, a mom came up to us and said she had just heard the sweetest sound since their son had been killed,” Terry recalled. “She had heard her husband laugh. His full, true laugh.”
Programs like Gold Star Parents Retreat highlight an important truth about military service. Every service member represents a family that stands behind them. When those families experience loss, the impact lasts a lifetime.
By bringing parents together to share stories, cherish the memories of their children, and lift one another up, Gold Star Parents Retreat ensures that these families' sacrifices—and their children's legacies—are never forgotten. Learn more about Gold Star Parents Retreat at goldstarparentsretreat.org.
Recognizing Organizations That Support Military Families
This story is part of the Commemorative Air Force’s Free Advertising for Veterans program. Through this initiative, the CAF highlights nonprofit organizations that are doing meaningful work in support of veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.
Many groups across the country quietly serve those who have sacrificed for the nation. By sharing their stories, the CAF hopes to help raise awareness of the people and programs working every day to support the military community. To learn more about this program, please visit CommemorativeAirForce.org/pages/FreeAdvertising.
