Saanich, B.C., teen heals from loss by helping others
As Olivia Hahn looks back at pictures from after her mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she recalls their countless conversations about owls.
“She said, ‘I’ll be coming back as an owl. Just know I’ll be watching you,’” Olivia recalls with a smile. “I was like, ‘OK. That’s really cute.'”
But Olivia didn’t really get it at the time.
When we first met her last year, Olivia said she couldn’t have imagined that there would be a day when she’d leave the hospital and tell her mom, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ but arrive the next day to find she never got a chance to say goodbye.
Olivia was 15 when her mom died. She spent the next few months feeling lost and alone.
“It made me feel like I was different or I was weird,” Olivia says.
Her dad John says Olivia also felt frustrated that they couldn’t find any books about expressing grief from a teenager’s perspective.
“If we can’t find you a book,” John recalls saying. “I guess you’re going to have to write one.”
While John admits he was being flippant, Olivia — despite never really writing before — did just that.
“I wanted to write something that would help me through it,” Olivia says of her book. “But also help other people as well.”
A year later, she published ‘Healing Our Wounded Hearts,’ with proceeds supporting palliative care, and the goal of empowering others to begin their own healing process.
“And to let them know it’s OK to not be OK,” Olivia adds.
Since then, Olivia’s published another book, a collection of poetry about loss titled ‘To Hold Your Hand One More Time.'
She’s also modelled in fundraising fashion shows to support the BC Cancer Agency, and volunteers as the youth ambassador for Learning Through Loss, which offers programs to support grieving teenagers and young adults.
“[Youth] feel so alone in their grief,” says Kathryn Dafos, executive director of ‘Learning Through Loss.’ “Olivia reaches out her hand says, ‘You’re not alone.’”
And through helping, Olivia says she’s finding healing.
“It makes me feel better to help others,” she smiles.
But nothing compares to those moments — and there have been many Olivia says — when she hears a ‘hoot’ and spots an owl.
“It’s so reassuring,” Olivia smiles. “It‘s like I know my mom is there.”
It feels like her mom’s always watching over her with pride — that her little girl is growing up to be such a strong and caring young woman.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Is it cold, flu or norovirus? Symptoms explained
The highly contagious norovirus is spreading across Canada, with some symptoms overlapping with other viruses. CTVNews.ca spoke with a health expert to find out how you can tell you have norovirus, the most common form of stomach flu, and what to do if you have it.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Ontario's police watchdog continues probe of high-speed pursuit involving fatal crash
The investigation continues into a collision that killed two grandparents and their infant grandchild during a high-speed police chase on the wrong way of Highway 401 east of Toronto.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Search continues for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S.
Police say they continue to search for an armed man who allegedly threatened people in Dartmouth, N.S.
Swarm of bees delays Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles game in Arizona. An 'MVP' beekeeper came to the rescue
Major League Baseball fans had an unexpected buzz on Tuesday after a swarm of bees delayed the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game for around two hours.
Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
It's opening day for the $34B Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion
Wednesday marks the official start date of the long-awaited $34-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project.