Family honours son by donating house

Property to be used for bereavement services program

It's safe to say Julien Gaudet, who died at the age of 18 from a brain injury, would have been honoured by his family's generosity.

On Friday, the Gaudet family officially signed over a house and property to the charitable organization that was created in Julien's name to offer free bereavement services to the local community.

Julien's House now has a permanent home on a one-acre parcel of land in southeast Windsor.

Germain Gaudet, Julien's father, said the gift is something his son would have wanted to happen.

“There was no doubt that it was the right thing to do after witnessing so many people like us in need of support,” Germain said in a statement. “We hope this will be a place of comfort for the community.”

Julien suffered his fatal injury in an automobile-related accident.

Following his death, members of his family attended group counselling and began volunteering in bereavement services themselves.

The donated house and property are where Julien once lived. Friday would have been his 28th birthday.

The location will now be used for group grief sessions, “healing restorative activities,” and a variety of programs for people of all ages and stages of grief.

Activities planned for the location include gardening, scrapbooking and art nights.

Julien's House focuses on providing the bereaved with trained volunteers to accompany their journey in grief and offer encouragement.

Until now, the charitable organization has been doing its work virtually.

Bill Marra, who is chair of Julien's House, described the Gaudet family's gift as a significant step toward in-person services at Julien's House.

“The Gaudet family have been committed from the beginning and they emulate what it means to care about and support others while creating a beautiful legacy for their son,” Marra said.

Renovations are needed for the house and its outdoor areas to serve the organization's purposes.

The board of directors at Julien's House will be depending on community fundraising for support.

To learn more about Julien's House visit www.julienshouse.ca.

DAN JANISSE Christine Gaudet, left, and her husband Germain, with their daughter Rachelle, hold a photo of their son Julien, who died in 2011 at the age of 18. The family is shown in front of the home they donated to establish Julien's House, a registered charity that offers free bereavement services.