TIME, in partnership with Gillette, honors the TAPS organization for the support and mentorship it provides to grieving military families.
The U.S. military is synonymous with strength, but that strength extends beyond the battlefield and into the families whom these heroes leave behind. It’s from that pain, sadness, and struggle that the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, was born.
TAPS is a national nonprofit that offers help, hope, and healing to those grieving the death of a military or veteran loved one. It’s a “beautiful fabric woven together through grief and loss, but also strength and resilience,” shares Diana Roday Hosford, Vice President of Sports & Entertainment at TAPS. TAPS recognizes how hard the loss of a military loved one is for a child, especially the absence of a parent during childhood milestones big and small. That’s why they offer the TAPS Military and Legacy Mentor Program, which provides bereaved children with an added source of encouragement and guidance as they grow.
TAPS is exactly the organization that John Jarecki desperately needed while growing up but didn’t have access to. Jarecki lost his father, an Air Force pilot, at just five years old, and without a proper support system, he and his mother “struggled for a long time.” So when as an adult, Jarecki discovered TAPS while watching the local news one fateful Memorial Day weekend, he was overcome with emotion. Jarecki knew he had to get involved and promptly raced down to TAPS’ annual Good Grief Camp and asked how he could help, thus beginning the 13-year mentorship journey he’s still on today.
TAPS is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and Gillette is proud to support and highlight this noble organization as it continues to change the lives of young people nationwide. For high school student Liam Romero, “TAPS is like a lifeline,” helping him learn how to process and handle his grief while navigating life without a father. It’s because of mentors like Jarecki that Romero has had support through some of life’s quieter milestone moments, like learning how to shave.
The work that TAPS does for military and veteran loved ones is essential. Confronting one’s grief takes an enormous amount of strength and courage, and it’s something that no one should have to face alone. But thanks to the community, compassion, and support that TAPS provides, the families of fallen military heroes find solace in knowing that someone always has their back.
