A Daughter’s Promise: Finding Hope After Loss Through Gilchrist’s Grief Program

At Gilchrist, our care for families doesn’t end when a loved one dies. Through individual counseling, grief workshops, support groups, and remembrance events, we continue walking alongside families as they navigate life after loss. For Howard County resident Kristen Ackermann, that ongoing support has helped transform overwhelming grief into a journey of healing while honoring the memory of her father, Hans.

Remembering Hans

When Hans Ackermann was 16 years old, he left Germany with his parents and sister to begin a new life in the United States. After finishing high school, he proudly served four years in the U.S. Air Force before beginning a career as a meteorologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt.

Hans had an endless curiosity about the weather and a deep appreciation for the outdoors. He loved watching weather systems develop, often explaining radar maps to anyone who would listen. After retiring from NASA, he stayed active by mowing lawns and pet sitting, caring mostly for neighborhood dogs. Whether he was sailing, kayaking, hiking, or simply spending time outside, he found joy in nature and passed that love on to his daughter. For Kristen, however, Hans wasn’t simply a veteran, scientist, or outdoorsman. He was Dad. “I was Daddy’s little girl,” she says.

A Promise Kept

Long before her father became ill, Kristen had already decided how she hoped to care for her parents one day. “I remember telling my parents when I was in high school, ‘I’m never going to put you in a nursing home. I’m going to be the one taking care of you. You took care of me for 18 years. Now it’s my turn.'” Years later, she fulfilled that promise.

Working in healthcare herself, Kristen became Hans’ primary caregiver, helping care for him throughout his illness. Although caregiving brought moments of stress and exhaustion, she never questioned whether it was where she wanted to be. “It was hard. I’m not going to lie. There were days when I was stressed out,” she says. “But it’s my father, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

After a hospitalization, Hans made one final request: to spend his remaining days at home. “He wanted to come home. He was ready,” Kristen recalls. With Gilchrist’s support, that wish became a reality. Hans spent his final three days at home, surrounded by the people he loved most, before passing peacefully on April 24, 2026.

Finding Someone to Walk Beside Her

While hospice care ended with Hans’ passing, Gilchrist’s support did not. Instead, Kristen found herself beginning another chapter: one focused on healing. Soon after her father’s death, Kristen began meeting individually with one of Gilchrist’s grief counselors. Those sessions became a safe place to process the overwhelming emotions that accompany the loss of someone so deeply loved. When asked whether the counseling has helped, she answers without hesitation. “Oh my gosh, yes. One thousand percent. It’s amazing.” Perhaps even more comforting is knowing the relationship doesn’t end when the counseling sessions do. “We’ve left it where I know if I need her, all I have to do is either email or call, and she’ll get me right back on the schedule.” For Kristen, simply knowing someone is still there whenever she needs support has made all the difference.

Putting the Pieces Back Together

Less than a month after losing her father, Kristen attended Gilchrist’s Mother’s/Father’s Day Kintsugi Workshop. Using the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery, participants pieced together shattered ceramic plates: a symbolic reminder that broken things can still be beautiful.

For Kristen, the exercise became a powerful reflection of grief. “Even though it’s not perfect, it’s still perfect now because you glue it back together,” she says. “It’s not going to be the same way it was, but it still symbolizes that just because life isn’t that way anymore, here’s a new step. Here’s the new way of it. This is now your next chapter, and it can still be beautiful even though it’s not the same way.”

Just as meaningful was the opportunity to sit beside others who understood exactly what she was experiencing. “It was nice being in a room where other people are experiencing the same thing that I was going through,” Kristen says. “I don’t have to say anything.”

Remembering Together

Kristen has also participated in Gilchrist’s annual Steps of Hope remembrance event. Because Hans loved hiking, sailing, kayaking, and spending time outdoors, the event felt especially meaningful. “I really enjoyed that a lot,” she says. “Going through the woods, and even though looking at the pictures makes you sad, it’s also kind of happy too.” Walking the trails reminded Kristen that healing doesn’t mean leaving her father behind. Instead, it means learning to carry both grief and gratitude together.

Continuing the Journey

Three months after her father’s death, Kristen is preparing to take another step in her healing journey by joining one of Gilchrist’s bereavement support groups. “I’m looking forward to it,” she says with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘Okay, sign me up now.'”

For Kristen, one of the greatest gifts Gilchrist has given her is knowing that support doesn’t end when hospice care ends. “I love you guys. It’s amazing because you’re still there for me,” she says. “Even though my dad has passed, I can still reach out, and somebody will be there. I really like that.” That continued compassion has been so meaningful that Kristen now hopes to give back to the organization that has helped carry her through one of the most difficult seasons of her life.

Care That Continues Beyond Hospice

Grief doesn’t end with a funeral, and healing doesn’t happen overnight. Through individual counseling, therapeutic workshops, support groups, and remembrance events like Steps of Hope, Gilchrist continues to support families long after saying goodbye to someone they love. For Kristen, that ongoing care has been a reminder that she never has to navigate grief alone. “It’s amazing because you’re still there for me.”

Bereavement counseling, therapeutic workshops, support groups, and remembrance events like Steps of Hope are made possible through the generosity of donors who believe that no one should have to face grief alone. Thanks to philanthropic support, Gilchrist is able to provide compassionate grief services for children, adults, and families throughout our community, helping people find hope, healing, and connection after the loss of a loved one.

If Kristen’s story has touched you, consider making a gift to help ensure more families continue to receive this vital support when they need it most.