Affiliate Leader Focus: Andy Bohart, Co-Affiliate Leader of Helping Fathers Heal & Josh's Dad
Posted
-
- Jan
- 1
- 2025
by Elizabeth Boisson
Joshua Bohart and his Dad, Andy
September 16th, 2019, is a day that forever reshaped my world. On that fateful day, my beloved son, Joshua Bohart, passed away in a single-vehicle car accident. I was on a business trip in London when I received the call no parent should ever have to endure—a moment that marked the beginning of the most challenging journey of my life.
In many ways, the person I was before that day ceased to exist. What followed was a painful, raw, and deeply transformative journey to rebuild myself and reimagine my life. Over the past five years, Helping Parents Heal and Helping Fathers Heal have been a lifeline, a community that has offered me not just solace, but purpose. It is through their support, and the extraordinary compassion of those who share this path, that I have been able to turn my grief into something resembling hope—and even growth.
When we experience a loss so profound, we are brought to our knees, stripped of all we thought we knew. In the midst of this nightmare, I found myself surrounded by individuals—parents, like me—who showed me what true strength looks like. It wasn’t about “staying strong” in the way we often hear. It was about vulnerability, courage, and compassion. These qualities, which I saw reflected in the actions of others, became a guide for my own healing and transformation.
Through the wisdom of leaders like Mike Edwards and Elizabeth Boisson, and the incredible care of providers such as Kat Baillie, Suzanne Giesemann, Isabella Johnson, and Reverend Sue Frederick, I began to understand that life continues—not just for us, but for our children, too. I came to know that love transcends death, and that our connection to those we’ve lost can grow even deeper and more profound. Joshua continues to guide me, cheering me on with every step I take, every lesson I learn, and every new father I support.
Becoming a co-affiliate leader of Helping Fathers Heal has been one of the greatest honors of my life. To walk alongside other dads navigating this unthinkable path, and to share the hard-earned wisdom I’ve gathered, feels like the most sacred way to honor Joshua’s memory. I know he is proud of the work I do to help others find their footing on this journey.
Josh’s legacy lives on not only in my heart but also through the words he co-wrote with his mom, Cindy Norris Bohart, in The Navigator, and through my story in the Helping Fathers Heal compilation. It is my deepest hope that these works, along with the podcast I co-host with Kat Bailey, The Inspired Connection Podcast, continue to bring healing, hope, and inspiration to others.
From the depths of my grief, I have discovered truths I never knew. And while I would give anything to hold my son again, I know that he is with me in every moment, guiding me as I honor his life by helping others heal and grow. Through the love and lessons, I have learned, I carry forward Joshua’s light—and mine.
~Andy Bohart, Co-Affiliate Leader, Helping Fathers Heal and Joshua's Dad
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