Grieving Teens Find Solace at Camp Bright Star: Healing Through Art, Music, and Community

In November 2025, Camp Bright Star, a free day-camp sponsored by Hospice of Health First, welcomed 47 children and 28 volunteers for a day of art, music, movement, and play. The camp, held twice a year, provides a warm, supportive space for children ages 5-12 who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

For 13-year-old Myla Rivera of Melbourne, the camp has been a source of comfort since the passing of her father in 2022. Her favorite part is creating art, like the tree painting she made with all the people she loves represented in the leaves. "Looking at it just makes me feel happy and brings back good memories of camp," Rivera says.

Fifteen-year-old Benjamin Campbell of Palm Bay also found solace at the camp after losing his father two years ago. Initially nervous, he soon began making friends and connecting with others who understood his grief. "I was happy I got to hang out with people who understood what I was going through," Campbell says.

The camp's goal is not to push grief away, but to create a safe place where it can be shared, understood, and softened through connection with others. Licensed mental health counselor Karis Willis, who has worked with Hospice of Health First for nearly 20 years, helps campers create and share their own stories during the camp's story-building program.

For Mariah Mastrapa, a 17-year-old volunteer, the camp has been instrumental in her own healing process after the loss of her grandmother when she was 13. "I've slowly shared my experience, and I've told people, I know what it is to feel the pain," she says. "It's opened my eyes up to grief. Everyone here is accepted, and everyone has their own story -- and I'm not by myself."