KENT COUNTY, Mich — Adam Starr lost his wife to a blood infection in 2010, leaving him to raise three young children. After finding support at Ele's Place in Lansing, he helped bring the grief support program to Grand Rapids.
"It was such a meaningful thing for my family when we were in the absolute worst time in our life. We were in crisis mode, and [Ele's Place] helped us get to the point where we could accept this," Starr said.
Starr and his wife, Mary, were college sweethearts, building a life together.
But in 2010, Mary suddenly became sick.
"We thought it was a bad flu or a virus, but a trip to the ER and then to the ICU determined that it really was a bad blood infection," Starr said. "She ended up passing away on Christmas Eve morning, 2010 and that's when our life was torn apart."
Starr had to share the news with their three children, who were 2, 5 and 7 at the time.
"That was gut wrenching. That was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. On Christmas Eve, tell my kids your mom's in heaven," Starr said.
Through a haze of grief, Starr knew he and his family needed help.
"Several people kept telling me, you ought to take a look at Ele's Place," Starr said.
Starr and his children began to drive to Lansing every Wednesday to attend grief support programs at Ele's Place.
"We met other families. We'd sit down, we'd have a potluck dinner, we'd discuss our week," he said. "The families that we went to Ele's Place with understood, in a way that it's simply not possible unless you've had a terrible tragedy in your own life."
Two years later, Starr helped to bring the same valuable resource to West Michigan, by establishing an Ele's Place in Grand Rapids.
"A little over ten years ago, we started with a small group, and those families here in West Michigan could come to Third Reformed Church, and every week, you know, experience the same kind of benefit at Ele's Place that we did," Starr said.
Over the years Starr has worked hard to fundraise, advocate and raise awareness for the organization.
All grief support programs are free.
"That's a game changer in people's lives. When a young person has that kind of loss and they're dealing with that kind of grief, it's kind of a fork in the road," Starr said.
Starr said the support his family received changed everything.
He's now remarried, and his children are young adults who also give back through Ele's Place.
"We were in crisis mode, and they helped us get to the point where we could accept this," Starr said. "It's not an easy road, but it does get easier over time."
Starr plans to always be connected to Ele's Place in some capacity.
"My heart is that I'm an Ele's Place dad that is forever grateful for the help they gave my children when I didn't know how to help them," Starr said. "To us Ele's Place hasn't been and isn't now a place. It's a really wonderful group of people that care and love on families in a special way when they're going through the very worst time in their life, and it's something that I'm proud to be involved with."
Ele's Place will host an upcoming Healing Hearts 5K.
To learn more, about Ele's Place, click here.
As the FOX 17 and Lake Michigan Credit Union Pay it Forward Person of the Month, Starr receives a $250 prize.
Know someone who should be featured next month? Nominate them here.
Meet Jami Ridi, our March 2026 Pay it Forward Person of the Month.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube