Healing After Loss: Scarlett Lewis on Signs From Jesse & Turning Pain Into Purpose (Encore)
Podcast: Heal 2 Feel with Liat Gerszt & Mercedes JavidPublished On: Wed Dec 31 2025
Description: On this episode of Heal to Feel, we sit down with Scarlett Lewis, founder of the Choose Love Movement, whose son Jesse was one of the children killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy (December 14, 2012). Choose Love Movement Scarlett shares Jesse's extraordinary courage, the three words he left behind — "Nurturing, Healing, Love" — and how that message became a global movement centered on love, connection, belonging, and post-traumatic growth. We talk about what Scarlett calls the "choice moment" — the pause between what happens and how we respond — and how teaching kids essential life skills can change homes, classrooms, and communities. Scarlett also opens up about forgiveness, humanizing pain, and the life-changing power of one act of kindness. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs hope, healing, and a reminder that love is the strongest choice we have. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro / "It's hard to give love to someone who doesn't love themselves" 01:02 – Meet Scarlett Lewis + Jesse's heroism 02:47 – Scarlett's prayer the day Jesse was born 04:20 – Jesse "patrolling" the farm + bravery from the start 05:30 – The chalkboard message: "Nurturing, Healing, Love" 08:24 – "I love you" in the frost + Jesse's hearts on the windows 09:16 – "That's not going to happen" + Jesse's final goodbye to his dad 12:40 – Scarlett's "couch moment" + choosing her path forward 15:38 – Modeling grief and strength for her surviving son 18:39 – Forgiveness + compassion (even when it's hard) 21:54 – Missed signs + why curiosity matters 24:19 – The common thread: not feeling seen 26:25 – Aaron Stark + the kindness that stopped a planned shooting 27:44 – The Choose Love formula + "choice moment" model 29:04 – Why love, connection, and belonging are the foundation (relationships) Choose Love Movement 31:28 – Post-traumatic growth + focusing on the "grievance" end of the pathway 35:23 – Scarlett's prison story: "You saved two lives" 39:38 – Signs from Jesse + the "healing adventure" 46:01 – Skywriting: "Jesse and Jesus" + "You + God :)" 49:10 – Results in schools: behavior down, scores up, lives changed 50:59 – Town meeting + standing ovation for a love-based solution 52:21 – Working with administrations + proactive prevention 54:22 – The goal: free access for every child 56:07 – How to bring Choose Love to your school + how to contact Guest + resources (links to include) Choose Love Movement (official site): chooselovemovement.org Book: Nurturing Healing Love (Scarlett Lewis) Heal 2 Feel Instagram: @H2FPOD
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