In 2017, my family attended an Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat®. At the time, I didn’t fully understand how much that weekend would shape my life.
My dad was living with ALS, and like many families facing a terminal illness, we were navigating a reality that felt overwhelming. There were doctor’s appointments, uncertainty, and questions that didn’t have answers that were easy. While every family’s experience is different, one thing many families share is the desire to make the most of the time they have together.
That’s exactly what Inheritance of Hope gave us during our retreat.
What I remember most from that retreat wasn’t just the activities or the destination. It was a feeling. A feeling of being understood. For one of the first times, my family was surrounded by people who “got it.” We didn’t have to explain our situation or pretend everything was okay. We were able to simply be a family and create memories together.
As a kid, I probably couldn’t have articulated all of that. I just knew it was fun. I knew I felt cared for. I knew my family was laughing together. But looking back now, I realize how valuable those moments were.
I still remember taking a photo at Universal’s CityWalk during our retreat. We came across a giant yellow sculpture that was clearly meant to be a photo prop. My brother Micah decided to sit on its mouth instead of riding it normally, and my dad positioned himself behind it as if he were kicking it. It was completely ridiculous, and we laughed about it for hours afterward. Looking back, it’s one of those simple moments that perfectly captures what Inheritance of Hope gave our family: the chance to set aside the weight of ALS for a little while and simply enjoy being together.
A few years later, in September 2020, my dad passed away when I was just 14 years old.
Losing a parent at a young age changes you. It changes how you see the world, how you view relationships, and how you think about time. But one thing that remained was my connection to Inheritance of Hope.
When I was 16 years old, I volunteered at my first Legacy Retreat®. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I knew I wanted to give back to an organization that had given so much to my family, but I quickly realized that volunteering would impact me just as much as the families I was serving.
Throughout that retreat, I met families who reminded me of my own. I saw kids asking some of the same questions I once had. I watched parents do everything they could to create meaningful memories despite difficult circumstances. And I witnessed the same hope and community that my family experienced years earlier.
That first retreat turned into another. Then another.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on 10 Legacy Retreats®, participate in different Hope@Home™ programs, assist with Legacy Video™ coaching, and now serve as a summer intern with Inheritance of Hope.
Every time I serve, it reinforces something I learned as a child: Inheritance of Hope is about more than just a weekend retreat.
It’s about helping families create memories that last long after the event ends.
It’s about reminding families that they aren’t alone.
It’s about building a community that continues to support one another through life’s hardest seasons.
One of the things that makes Inheritance of Hope unique is that it serves the entire family. While many organizations focus primarily on the individual with an illness, Inheritance of Hope recognizes that a terminal diagnosis affects everyone. Parents, spouses, children, siblings, and caregivers all carry a part of that burden.
By creating opportunities for connection, fun, and support, Inheritance of Hope helps families focus not only on what they’re facing, but also on the moments they still get to share together.
As someone who has experienced Inheritance of Hope both as a family member and as a volunteer, I’ve seen firsthand the difference those moments can make.
If you’d like to become part of that mission, there are many ways to get involved.
You can volunteer at a Legacy Retreat®, help with Hope@Home™ programs, make a financial contribution, start a fundraiser, or simply help spread awareness about the families Inheritance of Hope serves. Every contribution, whether it’s your time, talents, or resources, helps create meaningful experiences for families facing the unimaginable.
Looking back on my story, it’s amazing to see how Inheritance of Hope has come full circle for me. What began as a gift to my family during one of our hardest seasons became an opportunity to help create that same experience for others.
My family’s story with Inheritance of Hope began in 2017 as participants on a Legacy Retreat®. Nearly a decade later, I’m still part of this community.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
Ways to Get Involved
Volunteer with Inheritance of Hope
Donate to support families facing terminal illness
Share Inheritance of Hope’s mission with your community
Luke Douglas is a Business Administration student at Grand Canyon University and serves as a summer Marketing & Communications Intern with Inheritance of Hope. After attending a Legacy Retreat® with his family in 2017 while his father was living with ALS, Luke began volunteering at age 16. He has since served on multiple Legacy Retreats®, Hope@Home™ programs, and as a Legacy Video™ coach, and is passionate about helping families discover hope and connect to a community in the midst of difficult circumstances.