When Hal Rubin walked into his first peer support group in Queens in November 2024, the grief of losing his fiancée still hung heavy. Daily life felt almost unbearable. But that first day, as he spoke in a room full of people who listened without judgment, something began to shift. Rather than being consumed by his pain, Rubin started to recognize the strength it took just to show up. 

“Sharing my story and hearing others support me made me realize I'm not alone for the first time in a while,” said Rubin. “I knew I had to keep going.”