Parents who lost son open Clarendon Hills club 'Ian's Place' to support other grieving parents

CLARENDON HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- Ian's Place, a community for parents who are trying to cope with the loss of a child, opened in Clarendon Hills last week.

Rebecca and Andy Wells lost their son, Ian, on Aug. 1, 2019. Their months, and even year, after their loss were a blur. Because there was no real playbook or road map for how to grieve a child's death, they wanted to create a community to listen and share.

"It's a community of people who share some of the same experiences, unfortunately, and it's almost an immediate bond," Andy said. "It's a club it's tough to be in but unfortunately, there's a need and we want to help it be uplifting to those who need it and give them a sense of comfort and hope."

The mission through Ian's Place is healing through hope, where attendees find loving arms and people that understand their journey.

"Some people like to be in big groups. Some people are not ready for that," Rebecca said. "We want people to know that there's hope. They will find happiness again in their life.... It's a journey, but we want to give people support along the way."

If you have experienced this tragic loss in your life or know someone who has, feel free to reach out to IansPlace.org.