In this episode, I sit down with Matthew Horder, whose life changed forever on 17 July 2014 when his parents, Howard and Suzanne, were killed on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

Matthew shares what it was like to wake to the news that his parents’ plane had gone down, the long and painful process of bringing them home, and the years of investigations and legal proceedings that followed. But what touched me most was hearing how he has learned to carry his grief without allowing that terrible day to define his parents, or the rest of his own life.

We talk openly about grief, resilience, acceptance and the importance of allowing ourselves to feel the pain rather than continually pushing it away. Matthew also shares how writing his book became part of his own healing, helping him process emotions that had been sitting beneath the surface for many years.

And then there are the sunflowers.

Seeds taken from the fields surrounding the MH17 crash site eventually found their way to Matthew and other Australian families. What began with just 17 seeds has now grown into thousands, raising money for charity and becoming a beautiful symbol of hope, remembrance and new life.

Matthew’s story is heartbreaking, but it is also such a powerful reminder that something meaningful can still grow from the most unimaginable circumstances. His message is simple and one I think we all need to hear: treasure the people you love, don’t sweat the small stuff, and make the most of the moments you have.

Get in touch with Matthew Horder:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewhorder/

Website: https://matthewhorder.com.au/ (and preorder his book!)

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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.

Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about "Stories of Hope: Worldwide", head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.

Purchase books in the "Stories of Hope" series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.

With thanks to:

Music: "Pilgrims" by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)

Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)

Mentioned in this episode:

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