Mission Statement
The Family Resilience and Postvention Advisory Panel is composed of individuals who have personally endured the profound trauma and grief associated with losing a loved one to suicide. The panel exists to provide hope, comfort, and practical direction to families in the immediate aftermath of their loss, and to continue offering support as they navigate the ongoing stages of grief.
Our advisory team represents a diverse range of lived experiences, including parents who have lost children, widows who have lost spouses, siblings who have lost brothers or sisters, and children who have lost parents to suicide. Each panel member brings an authentic, firsthand understanding of suicide loss and a deep commitment to helping others through one of life’s most devastating moments.
In addition to supporting newly bereaved families, the panel also serves as a meaningful avenue for surviving families, especially those who have lost warriors to suicide—to find purpose by guiding and uplifting others in their time of need.
Families in need of assistance are invited to use the form below to submit basic information and choose the panel member with whom they feel most at ease. After submission, a panel member will reach out to begin the process within 72 hours.
Thank you for contacting us.
Legal Disclaimer
Heroes in the Sky Foundation Inc. and the individual members of the Family Resilience and Postvention Advisory Panel are not Licensed Professional Counselors, therapists, clinicians, or medical professionals. The support, guidance, and communication provided by the organization and its panel members are strictly for family advocacy, peer support, and general direction through the grief process following suicide loss.
All information, discussions, and guidance offered by the Foundation or the Advisory Panel are intended for supportive purposes only and should not be interpreted as legal advice, clinical, psychological, medical, or therapeutic advice. Families and individuals are encouraged to seek licensed professional mental health services whenever appropriate.
If you or your loved one is in immediate danger, experiencing a crisis, or considering self-harm, please call 911 without delay. Additional crisis resources, such as the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, are available 24 hours a day.
By engaging with Heroes in the Sky Foundation Inc. or any member of the Family Resilience and Postvention Advisory Panel, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Advisory & Outreach Panel
Alexa DeLambert
Widow of US Army SGT Clinton DeLambert
My name is Alexa DeLambert. I am the widow of Sergeant Clinton DeLambert and the mother of two children. I am currently in my second year of life after loss—learning how to move forward while carrying grief that doesn’t disappear, it just changes shape.
After losing my husband to suicide, I came to understand how layered this journey is: the shock, the questions, the isolation, and the quiet strength it takes to keep going. This experience has given me a deep understanding of the realities families face after military and law enforcement suicide—realities that are often misunderstood or minimized. I believe support should be honest, steady, and human. You don’t need to be fixed, rushed, or told how to grieve—you just need to be met where you are.
If you’re navigating this road, you’re not alone.
Janea Hunter
Mother of US Marine PFC Bowden Hunter / Founder of Bowden’s Brigade
Janaea Hunter is a mother, wife, and compassionate advocate who understands firsthand the profound grief that comes with losing a loved one to suicide. She is the founder of Bowden’s Brigade, a nonprofit created in loving memory of her son, Bowden McBride Hunter, whose life, service, and heart continue to inspire hope and connection for others walking similar paths.
Bowden was a United States Marine whose military career ended far too soon due to a medical discharge. Like many who leave service unexpectedly, he struggled with the sudden loss of identity and purpose. In August 2024, Bowden died by suicide at just 22 years old. His passing forever changed Janaea’s life and opened her eyes to the quiet battles so many individuals and families face.
Rather than allowing grief to isolate her, Janaea chose to lead with empathy, vulnerability, and action. She believes deeply in the power of connection, especially during life’s darkest moments and is passionate about ensuring no one feels alone in their pain. Through her involvement in veteran support and community outreach, she offers understanding rooted not in theory, but in lived experience.
Janaea is married to her husband, Daniel Hunter, and together they have five children and three grandchildren. Family is the center of her world. She treasures travel, capturing moments through photos, and creating meaningful memories especially those that honor life, love, and togetherness.
Janaea’s heart for others is grounded in one simple belief: healing begins when we are seen, heard, and supported. She is honored to walk alongside families navigating loss, offering compassion, understanding, and hope one conversation at a time.
Katie Langer
Fiancé of US Army SGT Jeremy Mittlesteadt
My name is Katie. I am social worker in the bereavement and grief field, a mother of two, and a doctoral student pursuing a PhD with a research focus on military suicide and its impact on those left behind. Four years ago, I lost my fiancé, Sgt. Jeremy Mittlesteadt, to veteran suicide after a long battle with PTSD—an experience that irrevocably changed my life and journey. I live my life seeking to transform my profound loss into meaning, healing, and hope.
Through my research, advocacy, and support of survivors, I am committed to walking alongside others as they navigate grief and rebuild life through the broken parts of their stories. Here, you’ll find support that honors love, pain, and the complicated questions. My hope is simple: that you feel less alone, and that you find your next steady breath as you walk this difficult path.
Emily Evans
Suicide Widow of US Army Veteran Combat Veteran and Senior Patrol Officer Michael Evans / Co- Host of Heroes in the Sky Foundation Podcast “Breaking the Silence Together – The Aftermath of Suicide”
My name is Emily Evans, and I am a suicide widow. My late husband was a combat veteran and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. His name was Michael. He and I were married for 15 years and in that time, we built a beautiful family and a life we loved. Michael served 9 years in the Army with two combat tours in Iraq followed by 9 years in law enforcement. In late 2022, his PTSD was triggered in such a way that he was not able to come back. For the next five months, he endured a brutal mental health crisis until he ended his own life in February of 2023.
In that crisis, he burned his life to the ground. It was chaotic and miserable and there was nothing I could do to get help for either of us. In the aftermath, I was certain that because he had been diagnosed by the VA with PTSD that the hardest parts of this journey were behind me and that even if I hadn’t been able to get help for him, it would be there for me now. Unfortunately, I know now that the VA will fight their own diagnosis, their own Doctors and their own medical records making life more difficult for suicide widows.
In the years that followed, I fought the VA and eventually won. I learned exactly what a widow needs to do (with or without the veteran having a mental health diagnosis) to make things as easy as possible moving forward. I have used my time to advocate for survivors, veterans and first responders struggling with suicidal ideation and the stigmas surrounding mental health. I am passionate about using my voice and my experiences so that nobody in the struggle feels alone. You are not alone.
If you are here because you or someone you know can relate, I’m so sorry. I would be happy to help guide you, gently, through these processes and be a support. I know the value in one person willing to fight for you and with you in your darkest moments. I know it feels impossible, but you will survive this. All my love, friend.
Caitlin Jarvis
Air Force Veteran and Sibling of US Army 1LT / Firefighter Charles “Chase” Williams
My name is Caitlin Jarvis. I am a medically retired Air Force veteran, an active-duty military spouse, and a mother—but I am also a sister who has experienced a 22-a-day loss. I lost my brother, Charles “Chase” Williams, to suicide. Chase served his country as a 1LT in the U.S. Army and devoted himself to his community in public safety as a firefighter.
I am now four years into my grief journey after losing Chase. The pain never truly goes away, but over time I’ve learned how to carry it. I’m here because I know how heavy this loss can feel, and how isolating the silence around it can be. If you need someone who understands—someone to listen, to talk with, or simply to sit beside you in the hard moments—I’m here.
Josh Gagnier
Child of USMC Veteran Albert Gagnier (Suicide by Cop) / President-CEO Mission Phoenix
Josh was born in a small town in Massachusetts and raised by a Marine father and a Portuguese immigrant mother, who instilled in him discipline, respect, honor, and courage from an early age. His father trained him to live by Marine principles—teaching resilience, strategy, and accountability—while his mother taught him how to be a gentleman, to carry himself with integrity, and to live a life worthy of being remembered. Above all, his parents taught him to love as Christ did: with compassion, humility, and a willingness to sacrifice for the good of others.
Today, he leads a mission of hope as the President and Founder of Mission Phoenix, focused on reversing the loss of life caused by complications related to veteran Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). For more than eight years, Josh has worked directly with veterans, providing coaching, support, and advocacy grounded in both professional training and lived experience. His commitment to mental health awareness was profoundly shaped by the loss of his father in a suicide-by-cop incident, driving his determination to bridge gaps between veterans, mental health professionals, and law enforcement. With over 6,500 hours in research and development, specialized training in trauma intervention, and extensive collaboration with law enforcement agencies, Josh is recognized as an AD-PTS expert. Through education, policy engagement, and community collaboration, he remains steadfast in his mission to foster compassion, strengthen crisis intervention, and promote hope and mental wellness within veteran and first responder communities—always rising.
Phillip King, Sr.
Father of USAF Veteran Phillip King
My name is Phillip King Sr. I was notified by USAF of the loss of my son, in June 2005. I was in shock and thought it was a mistake. I had been in contact with my son and had no indication of anything troubling him. My son would tell me how busy he was as a weapons specialist in the USAF. He liked working with his team. No indication of any outside emotional stress. He had already been in the USAF for four years and just extended. Reflecting back on my son’s life, he was an easygoing kid.
The only conclusion is my son masked his severe depression from others. The weight of his pain had to be unbearable. When a family is hit by this tragic news, how do you deal with it? How do you break this devastating news to the family? How are you going to keep it together?
When I found a support group, I began to heal and cope. Complete, strangers sharing their story and how they coped with the loss of their loved one. Being a family survivor of a suicide loss is a rough journey. Do not journey alone, the emotional weight is heavy and overwhelming. Reach out and talk to someone who has survived it and is helping to heal others. It will take time.
Heroes in the Sky Foundation 