Valley families receive grief support from The Godspeed Project

Losing a loved one to a fentanyl overdose is a devastating experience that can leave families shattered and struggling to cope with their grief. Megan MacIntosh knows this pain all too well, having lost her 18-year-old son, Chase Ellison, to a fentanyl overdose in January 2021. The shock and trauma of losing her son sent MacIntosh and her family reeling, with traditional talk therapy proving ineffective for her 7-year-old daughter, Sadie. Desperate to find a way to heal and support her family through their grief, MacIntosh turned to horses as a source of solace and healing.

The Godspeed Project was born out of MacIntosh’s own journey of healing and recovery. Inspired by the profound impact that horses had on her own grief process, MacIntosh decided to create a space where other grieving families could find support and solace through equine therapy. The project officially launched in January, with MacIntosh and her husband purchasing a property in Cave Creek and bringing in horses to recreate the healing experience she had found.

As a yoga instructor with experience in guided meditations and sound baths, MacIntosh felt that her skills would naturally complement the healing energy of the horses. She saw a synergy between the calming presence of horses and the zen-like qualities of yoga and meditation, believing that grief needed a „big dose of zen“ to help those who were suffering. Taking an equine assisted learning course and rescuing horses from slaughter, MacIntosh now cares for three horses and two mini ponies on the property.

One of the core principles of The Godspeed Project is that it is a non-profit organization, with MacIntosh refusing to profit off of mourning families. The equine visits are provided free of charge to all who visit, with MacIntosh personally caring for the horses and aiming to break even by the end of the year. Since its inception, The Godspeed Project has welcomed 17 grieving families through its doors, offering them a space of healing and support in their time of need.

Among those who have benefitted from The Godspeed Project is Vanessa Orihuela, who was referred to the program by the New Song Center for Grieving Children. Orihuela’s daughter, Daphanie, passed away at just nine days old due to multiple heart defects. Instead of focusing solely on her own grief, Orihuela was concerned about supporting her three grieving children through their loss. Participating in a family session at The Godspeed Project, Orihuela found solace in watching her children laugh and play around the horses, finding moments of beauty and healing in the midst of their grief.

Another bereaved mother, Laine Munir, also found solace at The Godspeed Project after losing her four-year-old son, Aayan, to a brain tumor. Describing the experience as transformative, Munir brought her other son, Emil, to support sessions at the project and plans to continue attending regularly. The presence of the horses provided a unique form of comfort and support, allowing the family to sit with their grief in a peaceful and healing environment.

The impact of grief on families, especially children, is a significant issue in Arizona, with one in 10 children expected to experience the death of a parent or sibling by the age of 18. The Godspeed Project aims to provide a space of healing and support for these families, using the calming presence of horses to help them navigate their grief and find moments of peace and healing. For MacIntosh, the horses have been a lifeline in her own journey of healing after losing her son, offering a source of comfort and solace that she hopes to share with others in their time of need.