It takes a lot to shake a four-star general, but it was former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey\u2019s first visit to Good Grief Camp that put his confidence and composure to the test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The annual Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Good Grief Camp \u2014 a camp just for children who have lost a loved one who served in the U.S. armed forces \u2014 is held alongside the National Military Survivor Seminar for surviving adults over Memorial Day weekend in Arlington, Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dempsey, with 600 children seated cross-legged all around him, invited questions from the group. Though each child carried the weight of profound loss, questions were light and generally military-focused \u2014 medals, missions, and the like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, encouraged by her Military Mentor, 4-year-old Lizzie Yaggy raised her hand. She meant to ask a question about sports, but as Lizzie, now 18, recalls, \u201cMy mind blanked. So, I just asked, \u2018Is my daddy an angel?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lizzie lost her father, Marine Corps Major David Yaggy, before her second birthday. He was a decorated pilot and instructor, deeply admired by his peers, and tragically killed during a routine training flight with VT-6 based at NAS Whiting Field in March 2008. Lizzie\u2019s memories of her dad come mostly from stories, photos, and TAPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A long pause echoed through the hushed room while all eyes were on Dempsey for an answer. When the answer finally came, Lizzie and the entire room found comfort in it: \u201cYes, of course he is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To further lift the children\u2019s spirits, Dempsey did something no one expected; he began to sing. The tune wasn\u2019t a hymn or military cadence, it was a silly, cheerful, and wonderfully odd camp song that has since become a beloved TAPS tradition: \u201cThe Unicorn.\u201d As the children joined in singing and acting out the song\u2019s lyrics, joy filled the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That moment \u2014 Lizzie\u2019s question, Dempsey\u2019s answer, and the song \u2014 was a turning point for Lizzie and the hundreds of children who have found comfort in the rituals and rhythms of Good Grief Camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, \u201cThe Unicorn\u201d song opens every TAPS Good Grief Camp, bridging sadness and strength, and reminding the youngest survivors that they aren\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What makes Good Grief Camp extraordinary isn\u2019t just the programming; it\u2019s the people. Each child is paired with a Military Mentor \u2014 a service member or veteran who volunteers their weekend to support a grieving child. These mentors and senior leaders like General Dempsey represent a living connection to a child\u2019s military heritage. They represent comfort and courage, and are reminders that their military family always remembers its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because TAPS receives no federal funding, Good Grief Camp exists thanks to the generosity of donors, especially the New York Life Foundation and the Hartwell Foundation. Their support creates safe, loving spaces where children can talk about grief without shame, laugh without guilt, and find hope through community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is no other place like Good Grief Camp,\u201d says Maria Collins, Vice President of the New York Life Foundation. \u201cWe are proud to help create an environment where children find hope, healing, and a sense of belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Lizzie, it\u2019s more than a camp \u2014 it\u2019s where she learned to smile again, where she saw herself reflected in others, and where her father\u2019s legacy lives on through songs, stories, and shared strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To support children like Lizzie, visit <\/a>taps.org\/donate<\/a>. To become a Military Mentor, visit <\/a>taps.org\/support<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because no child should ever have to grieve alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":109665,"menu_order":0,"template":"single-native-legacy","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"11"},"advertiser":[3460],"class_list":["post-78992","native","type-native","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","advertiser-taps"],"acf":{"subheadline":"Kristi Stolzenberg, TAPS","legacy_arc_id":"PR4APFA5AZGEDKBSPZXV5SXICM","arc_canonical_url":"\/native\/TAPS\/2025\/05\/01\/the-heart-of-taps-good-grief-camp\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"native-layout","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n