A charity is calling on the island to weigh the tragic impact of the stream of deaths on Bermuda’s roads for the second annual Grief and Loss Awareness Day.

Gina Spence, the founder of the Gina Spence Programme, said the event on March 6 aims to create space to acknowledge grief, with a focus on road fatalities and their effect on the community.

Ms Spence said that the island cannot afford to talk about deaths on Bermuda’s roads as isolated incidents or “only numbers”.

She said: “Every road fatality represents a life that mattered and a family whose world was changed in an instant. These losses are sudden, violent in their impact and often leave people traumatised, disoriented and struggling to find their footing again.

“In a small island community like Bermuda, the ripple effect is enormous. When someone is killed on our roads, it touches classrooms, workplaces, churches, friendship circles and entire neighbourhoods.

“The grief doesn’t stay contained; it spreads quietly and deeply.”

Last year, the charity hosted its first Grief and Loss Awareness Day event with about 150 people in attendance.

Ms Spence said road deaths bring a “particular kind of grief” to friends and family.

She added: “It is the grief of promise interrupted. A young person in the prime of their life, a parent heading to work, a loved one expected back for dinner.

“For many families in Bermuda, the pain does not end with the loss itself; it is renewed each time they must pass the very stretch of road where their loved one died.

“These are the quiet, enduring realities of road fatality; grief lived not once, but over and over again, and they are realities our community must acknowledge, hold with compassion and respond to with care.

“This year, we are intentionally naming that reality. We are saying out loud that these losses are not just tragic, they are profoundly disruptive, and the people left behind deserve care, recognition and support, not silence.”

Ms Spence said the Gina Spence Programme offers specialised grief and loss counselling for families and individuals in addition to community education and outreach to those outside of the therapy rooms.

She said: “Our role is to walk alongside people, not rush them, not fix them and not minimise their pain, but to help them understand that their grief is valid and that support is available.”

Ms Spence said that the flow of road fatalities has created a pattern of grief that is quietly reshaping the community.

She said: “Unaddressed grief doesn’t disappear. It shows up as anxiety, anger, withdrawal, academic struggles, workplace strain and long-term mental health challenges.

“When we fail to acknowledge the emotional impact of these losses, we leave people carrying more than they were ever meant to carry alone.

“Calling this a crisis is not about blame; it’s about responsibility — responsibility to protect life and responsibility to care for those who are left behind.”

Ms Spence said that Grief and Loss Awareness Day was intended to create a “visible and compassionate pause” at a time when people suffering are often urged to move on.

She said: “This day is about normalising conversations around grief, reducing isolation and connecting people with support.

“It is also about reminding Bermuda that grief and happiness can coexist, and that healing is not about forgetting but about being supported as we learn to live again.

“If this event helps even one person feel less alone or gives someone the courage to reach out for help, then it has done exactly what it was meant to do.”

This year’s event will be recognised with a ceremony at City Hall, scheduled to take place between noon and 1.30pm on March 6.

As part of the event, the public are encouraged to attend, to wear orange — the official colour of grief awareness — and make a donation in honour of a loved one to support grief and counselling services.

• Those who are interested in making a donation or learning more about the event are invited to contact the Gina Spence Programme on 296-0016 or e-mail info@gspcharity.com