Art, it is said, often imitates life. For actor Ramsey Thoms, that proved true when he earned the role of James on the second season of “Going Home” on Great American Pure Flix.
In the show, James tragically lost his wife in a bicycle accident as she commuted to work. He has trouble processing his terrible loss and dealing with grief.
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Sadly, Ramsey lost his aunt to breast cancer in 2020. He was in the house when she passed, along with other family members. He too struggled to grieve and process.
“I didn’t cry instantly,” Ramsey recalled. “It was kind of a shock-and-awe moment, like I was frozen.”
It wasn’t until landing the role of James on “Going Home,” and being a part of scenes featuring a GriefShare group, that Ramsey realized he needed to process and properly grieve his aunt’s death.
“Just being in that environment and watching the other actors tell their characters’ stories was so impactful,” Ramsey said. “You feel like it’s such a safe space, like you can open up your heart and be vulnerable.”
Read Also: Here's Everything You Need to Know Before Watching Season 2 of 'Going Home'
GriefShare is a nationwide program utilized by churches to help people apply biblical principles to the grieving process as they deal with the emotions and stress following the death of a loved one.
As “Going Home” portrays, groups meet weekly for sessions that include videos addressing key topics, guidance for those navigating grief, and an interactive workbook for participants. The group leader guides conversations each week for the support group, encouraging participants to lean on each other in their trying time.
“We’re opening our hearts and whether it’s pain, whether it’s anger, whether it’s sadness, we’re sharing it because we feel safe,” Ramsey said about participating in the GriefShare program as James in “Going Home.”
Ramsey kept his participant booklet from his role on “Going Home” and continues to reference the lessons he learned from GriefShare to process his own grief. It continues to help him as feelings of grief continue to arise. He also knows the book and program would benefit others in his family.
“As Ramsey … I went back to the GriefShare book when I lost my grandpa,” he said. “It’s therapeutic and I even read the note I wrote from my character to God, which is therapeutic as well. There are a lot more similarities going through it as Ramsey versus as James. … The show does a beautiful job of showing that everyone grieves differently.”
You will be moved as you watch Ramsey playing James in “Going Home” season 2, which is streaming exclusively on Great American Pure Flix. The fourth episode of season 2 premieres today.
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