Kelly Edmondson (audio); Why Grief Support Fails When It Ends Too Soon

David Jones and Naomi Murphy meet Kelly Edmondson, healthcare executive, former trauma ICU nurse, board certified grief counsellor, bereaved mother, and founder of Timely Presence. This is a very powerful and moving account as Kelly describes some of the tragic moments that have led to her founding of Timely Presence. Kelly shares how years in high-pressure care shaped her understanding of trauma, resilience, and human connection. She also explains how the death of her son Darius led her to build a milestone-based grief support model that helps people show up meaningfully long after the funeral.

We discuss how grief changes over time, why people often struggle to support the bereaved, and the simple principles Kelly uses to help others stay present without saying the wrong thing. This is a deeply personal conversation about loss, purpose, and turning pain into practical support.

Key topics

Kelly Edmondson’s path from new graduate nurse in trauma ICU and burn care to grief counsellor and founder of Timely Presence

What caring for patients at the edge of life taught her about fragility, resilience, and the value of relationships

Why good clinicians should care deeply, while still maintaining enough emotional protection to keep functioning

The moment a young quadriplegic patient and his children reshaped her sense of purpose in care

How Kelly’s own family life and her son Darius’s death changed the way she saw grief, holidays, and time

Why the holiday season can be especially painful for bereaved families, and how her family uses “reframing the ritual”

The importance of saying a deceased person’s name, telling their stories, and keeping their legacy present

How Timely Presence was born from a Mother’s Day weekend that turned a looming trigger into a meaningful, supported experience

Why grief support is often front loaded around funerals, but the hardest moments usually come later

The three R’s Kelly recommends for supporting someone who is grieving: regulate, respond, remain

Timestamps

00:00 - Kelly Edmondson’s background in trauma care and grief support

01:39 - Entering trauma ICU and learning from life interrupted

04:44 - A young quadriplegic patient and the emotional weight of care

07:28 - Self-care habits that helped her stay grounded

09:48 - Parenthood, Christmas, and seeing grief through a caregiver’s eyes

13:51 - Reframing holiday rituals after the death of her son Darius

16:39 - Why talking about loss matters instead of avoiding it

21:31 - The Mother's Day weekend that inspired Timely Presence

24:58 - How Timely Presence works across the emotional calendar of grief

28:14 - Why people welcome structured grief support for difficult losses

30:56 - Advice for people going through loss and those trying to help

34:49 - The three R’s: regulate, respond, remain

37:46 - Closing reflections on Kelly’s story and legacy