To: The Betts Family and Mookie
We share your pain, extend our deepest condolences for your family’s loss, and promise to maintain your privacy during these trying times.
Please find solace.

We share your pain, extend our deepest condolences for your family’s loss, and promise to maintain your privacy during these trying times. Please find solace in knowing that even in the quiet corners of grief, you are not alone. The pain of losing someone beloved—whether sudden or expected—carries a weight that words can rarely lighten. Yet, in our own way, we hope to offer some measure of comfort, even if only through compassion and sincere support from afar.

Grief often unfolds in silence. It comes in waves, in moments when the world continues to turn but your own seems to have paused. In these moments, we understand that no statement, no embrace, no carefully chosen sentence can truly mend what has been broken. But sometimes, just knowing that others are thinking of you, holding you in their hearts, and honoring the memory of the one you lost can offer a brief reprieve from the heaviness.

There are few things in life that unify people the way grief does. Despite differences in background, beliefs, or walk of life, loss reminds us of our shared humanity—our shared fragility. And within that shared space, we hold up our hands in support of you and your family, hoping to bear just a fraction of your sorrow, if such a thing were even possible.

You, Mookie, have brought joy, strength, and inspiration to countless lives. You’ve demonstrated perseverance, humility, grace, and excellence. And now, as you face this unimaginable personal pain, we want to return that love in the form of unwavering support and quiet solidarity. We may admire you for your achievements, but we stand with you now simply because you are a human being enduring one of life’s most difficult trials.

Loss is never just the absence of a person. It is the empty chair, the unspoken laugh, the quiet hush after a shared memory floats into view. It’s the way light falls through the window differently. It’s the dreams we can no longer share and the moments we wished we had more time for. It’s also, in its own way, a stubborn echo of love—a love that was so deep, so rooted, that its absence creates a void impossible to fill.

But love endures. Though the person may no longer walk this earth, their essence remains—in stories told and retold, in the gestures and habits passed down, in the lessons taught without even meaning to teach them. Every tear shed is an expression of that love. Every quiet moment of reflection is a tribute. And so, in mourning, there is also remembering—and in remembering, the person lives on.

We hope you will be gentle with yourselves as you navigate the days and weeks ahead. There is no “correct” way to grieve. No timeline, no rules, no benchmarks for progress. Some days will be heavier than others. Some days will surprise you with laughter. That’s all part of the journey—raw and unpredictable. Just know that you have the right to feel all of it. And you have the right to move through it at your own pace.

There will be people who step forward—friends, family, colleagues, strangers—and people who step back, unsure of what to say. Try not to hold tightly to the ones who don’t know how to respond. It’s not a reflection of how much they care, but often a sign of their own discomfort with sorrow. The ones who sit beside you in silence, who say, “I’m here,” even when they don’t have the words—those are the ones who truly support without pretense.

The bond of family is more than biology or time spent together—it’s made of memory, of commitment, of shared moments both joyful and challenging. Losing a member of that bond leaves behind a jagged space, one that no one else can fully fill. But family also endures through love, and love is one of the few forces in the world that transcends death. Your loved one’s presence will be felt in subtle, surprising ways—in familiar songs, in old photographs, in the stories others tell, in the strength you find even when you think you have none left.

We also wish to honor your request for privacy. In a world that often feels too quick to demand visibility, we recognize how sacred solitude can be. This is a time for mourning, for reflection, for healing. It is not a time for public scrutiny or expectation. Please know that we respect your space and your silence, and we hope others will do the same.

In moments when the grief feels unbearable, lean into the support around you. Let the people who love you carry some of the weight, even if you can only allow it for a moment. Talk when you want to. Retreat when you need to. Grief has its own language, its own rhythm, and each person moves through it differently. There is no wrong way to mourn someone who mattered.

We encourage you to take care of yourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally in the weeks ahead. Eat when you can. Rest when you can. Accept help, even if it feels strange to do so. The strongest among us are not those who carry pain silently, but those who find the courage to let others help hold it.

Please know that the community of people who have watched you from afar with admiration now watch you with empathy. You are not required to be strong for anyone but yourself. You are not expected to perform resilience. We hope you’ll allow yourselves to simply be—grieving, remembering, healing, and perhaps one day, slowly finding peace.

The loss you bear is real, and the sorrow you feel is justified. But so is the love that continues on. And that love—unshaken by time, unchanged by absence—is a light that will never fully go out. It may flicker, but it endures, just as your loved one’s memory endures within you.

From a distance, we send love. We send compassion. We send hope that in time, the ache will soften, even if the absence remains. And we send assurance that you are not forgotten in your sorrow. You are held in our thoughts, today and in the days to come.

With our deepest sympathies and heartfelt respect,