Forever Caregiver: The Lucas Project & Life Beyond Loss

2025-05-27

"I became a forever parent caregiver." - Jesse RonneWhat happens when caregiving, loss, and love collide? Jess Ronnie, writer, speaker, podcaster, and founder of The Lucas Project, brings her powerful story to the mic, offering a moving look into parenting a child with special needs, enduring grief, and building a future rooted in compassion and advocacy.Jess opens up about the emotional and physical toll of raising her son Lucas, who has profound special needs, while managing life as a "forever caregiver" and navigating...

"I became a forever parent caregiver." - Jesse Ronne

What happens when caregiving, loss, and love collide? Jess Ronnie, writer, speaker, podcaster, and founder of The Lucas Project, brings her powerful story to the mic, offering a moving look into parenting a child with special needs, enduring grief, and building a future rooted in compassion and advocacy.

Jess opens up about the emotional and physical toll of raising her son Lucas, who has profound special needs, while managing life as a "forever caregiver" and navigating the heartbreak of losing her husband, Jason. She shares the raw realities of caregiving, the denial that can come with special needs diagnoses, and the heavy yet hopeful journey toward acceptance, remarriage, and healing.

This episode is a powerful reminder that caregivers are not alone. Jess discusses:

Surviving as a parent in crisis mode
Rebuilding identity after caregiving takes over
Balancing love and loss in blended families
The critical importance of support systems and community
How her nonprofit, The Lucas Project, is creating change for caregivers across the country

About Jesse:

Jess Ronne is an author, speaker, podcast host at Coffee with Caregivers, associate producer of the Unseen Documentary, and caregiver advocate. She is founder and executive director of The Lucas Project, a non-profit dedicated to providing recognition, resources and respite support for special needs families. She and her husband Ryan live in Michigan with their 8 children, including their son Lucas who has profound disabilities. Her story of beauty from ashes has been shared on The Today Show, Daily Mail and Huffington Post and is detailed in her memoir Sunlight Burning at Midnight. To follow the ongoing saga she can be found at www.jessplusthemess.com or purchase her latest books Blended with Grit & Grace, Lovin’ with Grit & Grace, and Caregiving with Grit & Grace.

Social Media

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessronneofficial

Website: www.caregiverdoc.com

Website: www.thelucasproject.org

Website: www.jessronne.com

Thank you to sponsor: CareScout

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