Life After Loss: Coping with Grief Following a Farm Accident

A Tragedy That Sparked a Movement

Embrace FARM was founded by Brian and Norma Rohan after Brian’s father, Liam, died tragically in a farm accident. While the organisation has since expanded to support families affected by serious injury or sudden death—including medical events, suicide, or off-farm accidents—supporting those impacted by farm accidents remains a core part of Embrace FARM’s mission to the agri-community.

The Suddenness of Farm Accidents

Everything can change in the blink of an eye, and farm accidents are a stark example of that. These tragedies occur too often across Ireland’s agricultural community, with many families relying on their local networks for support in the aftermath.

At Embrace FARM, we ask you to meet these families with empathy and understanding. This type of loss is unimaginable to those who haven’t experienced it firsthand.

Living With Grief on the Farm

After a farm accident, grief doesn’t fade, it grows around the loss. Many families continue to live and work on the same land where the tragedy occurred, surrounded by the machinery or livestock that may have been involved. Life is expected to go on, even as daily reminders of the loss remain.

Among the many families Embrace FARM has supported, one sentiment echoes across them all: 

“It feels like it happened yesterday, 

No matter how much time has passed.

Support for Families Directly Affected

For families directly impacted by a farm accident, Embrace FARM offers both emotional and practical support. We’re here for you and your loved ones; ready to walk this journey with you, however and whenever you need us.

Treat yourself with kindness and patience. Grief is deeply personal and can look different for each person, even within the same family.

How Communities Can Help

If you’re a friend, neighbour, or part of the wider community supporting a bereaved farm family, it can be hard to know what to do. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference—cooking meals for the freezer, dropping off groceries, helping around the yard, or simply checking in for a chat.

Be mindful of the person’s energy and boundaries. Grief is different for everyone, so it’s important to ask what they need and respect their space.

Reach Out for Support

Embrace FARM provides practical and emotional support to anyone in a farm family affected by serious injury or sudden death—including farm accidents, medical events, suicide, or off-farm incidents like car accidents.

If you or someone you know could use support, please contact us: 

Call: 057-8510555

Email: info@embracefarm.com

Visit: www.embracefarm.com