TOGETHER THROUGH GRIEF,
FORWARD WITH HOPE
Life After Love is dedicated to guiding bereaved parents and surviving siblings through the profound journey of rediscovering themselves after experiencing grief and loss. We recognize that the death of a child can leave people feeling disconnected from who they once were, uncertain about their future, and searching for meaning in a fundamentally changed world.
Our organization provides comprehensive support through multiple interconnected pillars. We offer practical resources, including educational materials, in-home early trauma comfort, therapeutic tools, non-traditional healing modalities, and guidance for navigating the complex emotional landscape of grief. Our support network connects individuals with qualified counselors, support group facilitators, and specialists who understand the unique challenges of rebuilding one’s sense of self after loss.
Understanding that grief and loss often create additional financial burdens, we are committed to ensuring that economic barriers never prevent someone from accessing the support they need. Through our grant program, individuals experiencing financial hardship may qualify for assistance to cover counseling services, support group participation, educational workshops, and other essential resources. We believe that healing should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances.
ABOUT ‘LIFE AFTER LOVE’
Born from love, loss, and the unwavering belief that even in our darkest moments, we can honor those we've lost by helping others. The Life After Love Foundation transforms the loss of our only child into purpose. We want a world where no parent navigates grief and loss alone-where compassionate communities exist everywhere, ensuring every person has access to the support and connections they need to rediscover themselves and rebuild with hope.Today we grieve. Today we remember.Today we begin again-for Estevan, with love.- Darren and Emilia Sugiyama
BOARD MEMBERS
Our mission is carried forward by a compassionate and deeply committed Board of Directors. Each member brings a unique blend of professional expertise, personal experience, and passion for helping others navigate life after loss.
Together, they guide the foundation with integrity, empathy, and a shared belief in the power of healing through community.
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PresidentEmilia Sugiyama is a devoted wife, loving mother, successful entrepreneur, and compassionate advocate for those navigating life after profound loss. Her journey from a small town in Northern Nevada to becoming a respected business leader and philanthropist exemplifies the resilience and determination that now drives her mission to help and support others through grief. Emilia’s family immigrated to the United States from a small town in Mexico when she was only three years old. As an ESL student graduating from a six-student high school class, she moved to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue the American Dream. With over 30 years in the insurance industry, Emilia founded Pacific Bay Insurance Group, later became President of DSC Advisor Inc., and currently serves as Director of Operations at Lionsmark Capital.
Emilia’s commitment to philanthropy was shaped by her own experience as a recipient of assistance in her early life when her family received community assistance after their house burned down when she was eight years old—an experience that taught her how support can transform lives during challenging moments. This early lesson in the power of community support planted seeds that would later bloom into her dedication to serving others. For over 25 years, she has generously supported several charitable organizations. She served six years as president of a nonprofit women’s league, honing her leadership skills in service to others, without knowing that one day she would establish a foundation of her own.
The devastating loss of her only child, Estevan Kane Sugiyama, fundamentally transformed Emilia’s understanding of purpose and service. In the depths of grief, she grappled with a profound question: “How do I continue to parent when I no longer have a child?” From this sacred struggle, Life After Love was born.
Through Life After Love, Emilia is dedicated to supporting those who wish to reinvent themselves after loss, drawing on her own journey of transformation. She honors her son’s memory by sharing his story openly, believing that in speaking his name and celebrating his life, she can offer hope and healing to other grieving hearts. Her philosophy is simple yet profound: “Together through grief, forward with hope.” Emilia understands that while grief is deeply personal, healing often happens in community. Life After Love creates space for people to honor their loved ones while discovering new ways to live fully and purposefully.
Emilia’s approach to both business and philanthropy is grounded in authenticity, resilience, and the belief that our greatest challenges can become our most powerful tools for serving others. Her multicultural background, entrepreneurial success, and intimate understanding of loss uniquely position her to guide others through their own journeys of transformation.
Today, Emilia continues to honor her son’s legacy by creating a foundation that transforms grief into hope, isolation into community, and loss into lasting love.
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Vice PresidentDarren Sugiyama is the founder & CEO of Lionsmark Capital, a wealth management firm that specializes in estate tax planning and serves as the trusted resource for financial advisors, CPAs, estate planning attorneys and family offices all over the country.
His path began in community service, working as a gang prevention counselor in his hometown of Long Beach, California, before expanding his impact as a counselor with inmates at Halawa Prison in Honolulu, Hawaii, and as an educator serving at-risk youth in the public school system. This foundation of service to vulnerable populations prepared Darren for an entrepreneurial journey that would span multiple industries. He has founded six successful companies across life insurance, employee benefits, finance, fashion, and other sectors, building a reputation as both an innovative business leader and strategic thinker.
As an internationally acclaimed author, Darren has penned twelve books distributed across fourteen countries beyond the United States, including the widely recognized How I Built A $37 Million Insurance Agency In Less Than 7 Years, The Icon Effect, and The Takeo Effect. His expertise in business and personal development has made him a sought-after speaker at conferences throughout the financial sector. However, it was the devastating loss of his fourteen-year-old son, Estevan Kane Sugiyama, that revealed Darren’s most important calling. This unimaginable tragedy became the catalyst for his deepest work—supporting other parents navigating the aftermath of losing a child. Through Life After Love, Darren has transformed his grief into a mission of hope, creating pathways for healing and connection among families facing similar losses.
Within just the first year following Estevan’s passing, Darren courageously stepped onto stages across the nation, sharing his story and wisdom with thousands. From Dallas and Chicago to Newport Beach and San Antonio, he has spoken at conferences in Texas, Illinois, California, and Vermont, while also reaching national audiences through multiple podcast appearances. His unique position as both a respected business leader and grieving father allows him to address this critical topic on unexpected platforms, reaching audiences who might not otherwise encounter resources for supporting grieving loved ones.
Darren’s commitment to this mission continues to evolve. His forthcoming thirteenth book, Grief Brain – How To Show Up For A Grieving Loved One, scheduled for release in 2026, will serve as an essential emergency guide. This practical guide will equip readers with specific tools for supporting those in grief, teaching them what to say and what not to say, as well as what to do and what not to do when comforting someone experiencing profound loss.
Through Life After Love, Darren is creating a legacy that honors his son’s memory while providing tangible support to families walking the most difficult path imaginable. His work stands as a testament to the possibility of finding meaning and service in the midst of devastating loss, offering hope to parents who never imagined they could survive such pain, let alone help others through it.
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SecretaryAndrea Rawlins is an experienced in-house attorney specializing in labor and employment law. Currently serving as Associate General Counsel at Del Monte Foods, she oversees all labor and employment matters as well as consumer class actions. Andrea began her career in private practice as a litigator and has since built over a decade of in-house experience across diverse industries including banking, distribution, consumer packaged goods, and manufacturing. Her expertise spans global employment matters and traditional labor relations, with a particular strength in managing complex negotiations and crisis situations.
Andrea’s connection to Life After Love is deeply personal. As a close friend to Darren and Emilia, she had the privilege of knowing Estevan—a remarkable child with a calming presence and an old soul’s wisdom. His boundless curiosity, sense of adventure, and infectious laugh touched everyone around him. The profound bond between Estevan and his parents exemplified the kind of connection Andrea hopes to nurture with her own daughter.
Before Estevan’s passing, Andrea’s experience with grief had been limited to the loss of grandparents and a dear friend from law school who died from breast cancer. Watching her four-year-old daughter process the news of Estevan’s death opened her eyes to how deeply children can be affected by loss and how naturally they connect with the spirit of the memory of those they’ve loved. Witnessing Darren and Emilia navigate their grief has reinforced her understanding that while everyone’s grief journey is unique, the need for support is universal—though that support may look different for each person.
Andrea is honored to be part of Estevan’s legacy through her involvement with Life After Love, contributing her skills and compassion to help others find their way through loss while keeping love alive
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Advisory Board MemberRaised in Hawaii, Corey Vuu grew up embodying the values of community and giving back, principles that are central to the renowned "Aloha spirit." This spirit of care, respect, and mutual support shapes much of his life and work.
In 2006, Corey made a significant career milestone by becoming the first Vietnamese American chef instructor at the Art Institute. His role, however, quickly expanded beyond culinary teaching. It became a platform for cultural exchange, fostering understanding and respect among individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Today, Corey serves as the team coach for Gen Wealth Solutions, a retirement planning group. In this role, he helps agents craft their personal visions, while guiding them to overcome self-doubt and break through self-imposed limitations that can impede growth.
Corey’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: treat others with the same Aloha spirit you wish to receive.
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Advisory Board MemberAJ Trujillo is an Afghanistan War veteran and lifelong servant of community, healing, and purpose. Raised in an environment shaped by instability, violence, and addiction, AJ’s early life was marked by adversity that would later forge the resilience and compassion he brings to his service today.
After returning from war and facing the invisible wounds of both his past and the battlefield, Albert embarked on a decade-long journey of rehabilitation and transformation. He channeled his pain into a powerful mission to help others, and over the past ten years has directly impacted the lives of more than 10,000 veterans, first responders, and at-risk youth—with special focus on incarcerated young people whose voices are too often left unheard in our communities.
The loss of Estevan marked a profound turning point in AJ’s life and work. The deep, personal bond between Estevan and AJ’s son made the loss even more devastating. Navigating his son’s grief forced AJ to confront pain in its rawest form. Through this personal experience and years of walking alongside others in their healing, he developed what he calls a “cheat code” for grief—a transformative approach that doesn’t ask people to let go of their loved ones, but helps them build deeper, more intimate connections with those they’ve lost while finding renewed purpose after loss.
As a board member of Life After Love, AJ continues to embody the very essence of its mission. His “why” remains unwavering: to serve those in their darkest moments and to remind the world that even in our deepest pain, there is the power to heal, to connect, and to love again.
Upcoming Events
Visit our “Events” page for more info
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Annual Pickleball Tournament
8.29.26
Dink for a Cause is BACK — and bigger than ever!
Last year blew us away: 98 players, 50+ spectators, a pumping DJ, and a silent auction that made a real difference. This year? We’re taking it to the next level.
Get ready for a day packed with fierce competition, incredible energy, and a whole lot of heart. Whether you’re playing or cheering from the sidelines, this is THE event you don’t want to miss.
📅 Mark your calendar. Rally your crew. Let’s dink for a cause! 🏓
Donate
Your donation helps us provide vital resources, compassionate support, and a safe community for those rebuilding their lives after loss. Every contribution makes a difference—and brings hope to someone navigating their next chapter.