Finding Jill: How I Rebuilt My Life after Losing the Five People I Loved Most - Softcover

Jill Kraft Thompson had a life filled with love: an adoring husband, two young precious sons, a devoted mother, and a close extended family. Then in 2002 she lost her five closest family members in a car crash that she herself barely survived. She awoke to a world she hardly recognized and a well of grief so deep she often had neither the strength nor the desire to continue living. While over time her physical injuries healed, her emotional wounds did not and she struggled to accept that they never would. Upon cultivating a series of coping strategies, however, she found the courage to risk love, marriage, and motherhood again, demonstrating the triumph of love over unspeakable tragedy.

A native of Weiser, Idaho, Jill Kraft Thompson now lives in the mountains north of Boise. Shortly after the ninth anniversary with her husband, Barton Kraft, he and their two young sons, along with her mother and niece, died in an automobile accident that she survived. Four years later, she married again. Her second husband, John Thompson, never asked her to stop loving Bart. He even created their wedding rings to incorporate all of their birthstones. After much discussion and trepidation, the Thompsons added to their family. Today, at four years of age, Franklin says he's excited to someday meet his brothers in heaven. Jill's two families are now combined, allowing her to freely love her past while still having hope for the future. “The loss that occurred is horrible. But that was a split second of my life. The love lasts forever,” says Jill. She remains dedicated to helping women and men of all ages and backgrounds navigate the grief recovery process.