It was the phone call that would change my life forever. I had been a mother for 32 years to my only son, and in one second it all came crashing down... literally. While I slept peacefully in my bed, his Chinook helicopter came crashing to the ground somewhere in Afghanistan killing all 31 men on board. My son was dead. I couldn't breath, I couldn't stand and I couldn't believe that he was really gone. That was August 6, 2011, and I'm still struggling to find my breath.
Jonas served as Lt. Commander with the Navy SEALS. He loved his job, the military and the life and opportunity it provided him. He would swell with pride when he talked about the caliber of men he had the honor of working with. He loved his country and believed in the fight. He would always talk with his father and I about ways to give back to this community that had given him so much, he just wasn't sure how to change the world outside of his current role. He would challenge us to be his boots on the ground to figure it out with him.
When Jonas died, we knew we could not stand by and let time forget him. This one horrific moment would not define his legacy as another name carved into a marble wall. So we did what families do when they lose someone too soon -- we found a way to keep him alive.
With my husband of 41 years and my daughter, we established The Jonas Project, a non-profit 501(c)3. We decided to fulfill his request to find a way to give back, and so with our combined talents and expertise, we now assist Veterans in becoming entrepreneurs. And to this day it is a family affair.
Between the three of us, we have started and built businesses, and we've lead major organizations and non-profits. And it turns out that establishing and building a non-profit is very much like being an entrepreneur. You must create awareness, recruit, fundraise, brand, advertise and work 24/7.
Over the past four years we have managed to slowly build an organization that offers mentorship, professional services, funding, business planning, marketing, web development, accounting and so much more to Veterans who have decided to take the incredible leap to become entrepreneurs.
We know that 9 out of 10 businesses fail in the first two years for more reasons than we can list here, but The Jonas Project provides support for those two years in an effort to increase the Veteran's odds of success.
We have recruited outstanding volunteer mentors who are entrepreneurs and executives, Veterans and civilians, and who want to contribute to the success of America's finest. They are the backbone of The Jonas Project and our greatest asset. They help guide the Veterans every step of the way, making sure that it's not poor decisions or lack of preparation that prevents them from being successful.
We have now served over 31 Veteran businesses. They don't all make it. Some decide this is a hard road and they just aren't ready. Some go back to school or get job offers they can't refuse. We support them through every decision. We have now successfully launched five businesses and that number is growing every month. Unless you've walked in an entrepreneur's shoes, you may never fully appreciate the tenacity, time and resilience required. We feel that Veterans are uniquely qualified as these are the same attributes that made them successful in their military careers.
We succeed and we fail, but through it all we do as Jonas did -- we push forward and improve with every lesson learned. I take so many lessons from him every day: never quit, the only easy day was yesterday and that life is good.
Is there life after death? That's a tough question to answer some days, but I know what Jonas would say: be sad, give yourself time to heal, but then dust yourself off and get back to living!
I'm still struggling to find my breath. I'm still struggling to stand tall. I am certain I will feel that way until my last breath. But with every win I get to keep him alive with me. I find my reasons to push forward and not give up.
This life after death is not the one I would have chosen, but we do the best with what we have. I made a conscious decision at the lowest point in my life to not let that moment define me. I knew I had never failed my son, and I won't fail him now. The Jonas Project will be the part of his legacy that I can affect and the part that will grow and flourish in his name. This will be his life after death, and the way I choose to live mine.
Teri Kelsall is the co-founder and CEO of The Jonas Project. Over a span of 20 years, Teri has served her community through her work with non-profit organizations, most recently as Vice President of Workforce and Career Development with Goodwill Southern California where she established over 80 collaborative partner agencies and community colleges, developed youth and Veteran programs, and expanded from five service sites to 27 service sites. Teri has spent most of her professional career finding ways to help others, whether that was putting people to work, or counseling youth. She believes that with the right support and the right team, all things are possible. Teri Kelsall was recognized as a L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth in 2015 for making an extraordinary difference in her community.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and L'Oréal Paris to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Women of Worth program, honoring women making a beautiful difference in the world. The ten 2015 Women of Worth honorees are pursuing their passions to accomplish the extraordinary through philanthropic efforts in their communities. Each received $10,000 for her charitable cause from L'Oréal Paris. To learn more about Women of Worth or to submit a nomination beginning Spring 2016, please visit womenofworth.com.