WB_012419

wilmettebeacon.com LIFE & ARTS
the wilmette beacon | January 24, 2019 | 29
North Shore father assists other
parents grieving loss of kids
Alexa Burnell, Freelance Reporter
Jenniffer Weigel, a journalist and selfproclaimed
spiritual adventurist, has interviewed
mediums and spiritual advisors
on the stage of the Wilmette Theatre
for the past several years, helping many
find answers to the lingering questions
about loved ones.
Recently, her ever popular series took
a local turn, when Winnetka resident
Joe McQuillen, took the stage on Thursday,
Jan. 17, talking about his connection
to his son, Christopher, who tragically
passed away after a 2016 canoe
accident in southern Wisconsin. The
younger McQuillen was one of four
former New Trier High School students
that died.
Weigel started the evening talking
about how the death of her father,
prompted her own curiosity into seeking
information from the other side.
“Just like Joe, my journey started with
grief,” Weigel said. “We all have different
ways of dealing with loss, but many
of us, feel a need to seek answers.”
McQuillen explained that through the
process, he has now come to believe that
when a loved one passes, they are never
really gone.
“I truly believe that when someone
passes, they are just on the other
side,” McQuillen said. “For me, when
Chris crossed over, I couldn’t imagine
a world without him; I needed to see
what was on that other side, I needed
to stay connected to him and felt it was
my job to figure out how to get in touch
with him.”
McQuillen admitted that at first he
was angry with God, but he quickly received
a message reminding him that
God didn’t just ‘take’ his son and that
the death wasn’t a punishment. McQuillen
also learned that healing could come
from having faith and helping others to
have faith too.
“The message I received reminded me
that God wasn’t punishing me, but rather
it was Chris’s recklessness and own free
will that ended his life, all too early,”
McQuillen said. “You always hear that
time will heal, but that’s not necessarily
the case, because the grief is connected
Joe McQuillen discussed his book, “My
Search For Christopher On The Other
Side,” during his recent appearance at
Wilmette Theatre. Book Cover submitted
to the love; I’ll never stop loving Chris,
therefore, I’ll never stop grieving, but I
now have tools that help me to deal.
“One of those ways is by helping others
who are grieving, by teaching them
that their loved one is not gone but has
just crossed over. By staying open to this
belief and seeking to connect with those
who have crossed over, others can find
their own tools to help them cope too.”
Weigel interjected, explaining that of
the ways to stay open and receptive to
a loved one who has crossed over is by
believing that “coincidences” are not just
“coincidences.”
“Think how many times you have
thought of a loved one who has passed
away and suddenly, their favorite song
comes on or something else that reminds
you of them, occurs. These are
not just mere coincidences,” Weigel
said. “If you took note of all of these
little things that happen, you will see
it is a spirit downloading – trying to
communicate.”
McQuillen has now turned his experience
into a book, “My Search For Christopher
On the Other Side,” to learn more
about his experiences communicating
with his son, Christopher, and the profound
impact this has had on his life. You
can find the book at amazon.com.