Meet Marie Brandon, Director of Media & Support Services

Born and raised in Ohio and Colorado, Marie has called Orange County, California home since moving here in 1995. She is a mother to two daughters, Emma and Isabella, and a son, Jacob, whose life and love continue to shape her every day.

After the birth of her first child, Marie felt a calling and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. For more than 20 years, she has worked as a Neonatal ICU nurse, supporting families through medical trauma, end-of-life decisions, and profound grief. She believed her professional experience gave her an understanding of loss, until she faced the unimaginable herself. First with the loss of her mother in 2018, less than a week after she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer, then the unbearable death of her son Jacob on April 30, 2023.

Jacob was only 22 years old when injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident ended his life. His death shattered Marie’s world and forever changed her understanding of grief. The loss of a child, known as Vilomah, goes against the natural order and leaves a depth of pain that words cannot fully capture. It challenged Marie’s beliefs, her identity, and her sense of safety in the world. In the depths of her grief, Marie found a lifeline through Gloves for Grief. What began as a place to breathe and survive became a community where she could grieve honestly, honor her son openly, and slowly build a new life after immense loss. Surrounded by others who understand loss firsthand, Marie discovered purpose within her pain.

Today, in addition to being a mother and Neonatal ICU nurse, Marie serves as Director of Media and Support Services for Gloves for Grief. As a double Certified Grief Educator through Dr. Dave Page and renown Grief Expert David Kessler, she is committed to changing the way we talk about death, loss, and healing. Marie currently facilitates our virtual support group Gloves for Growth, writes our quarterly blog The Journey, manages our Gloves for Grief social media, recently created Journey for Jake in honor of her son, and speaks at seminars on behalf of OneLegacy to educate on the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation. Through advocacy, community support, and education, she helps create safe spaces for bereaved parents and grievers to feel seen, supported, and less alone.

“I’ve learned grief doesn’t need to be fixed, it needs to be witnessed. That’s what I strive to do for my fellow grievers.”

Get to know our mission and read more team stories on our About page.