Survivor Stories
We have been honored to serve dozens of survivors of high-profile tragedies, helping them have a say in if, when and how their stories are told.
They are survivors and loved ones of those impacted by mass trauma, homicide, suicide, sexual assault and human trafficking. Some sought privacy. Some engaged with the media or the public to tell their stories. We are honored to help them and grateful that allowed us to share their stories here.
Geoffrey Andrews
Geoffrey Andrews, a skilled pilot and scientist, died while flying his single-engine plane in June 2025 in Beverly, Massachusetts. We were honored to support Geoffrey’s wife, Gentry, as she managed a flood of media interest around the crash and investigation and shared a powerful tribute to him with WCVB Boston news anchor, Erika Tarantal. Gentry’s words were moving and a perfect way to remember Geoffrey’s legacy of being passionate, kind and full of love.
Brianna Welsh
Brianna Welsh was a 25-year-old soon-to-be mother when she was murdered, allegedly by her abusive boyfriend’s brother in Lynn, Massachusetts. We were honored to help Brianna’s family create a memorial tribute, which honored Brianna and another murder victim from their hometown while raising awareness for affected family members and all victims, giving voice to those who are no longer with us. Brianna’s mother and family have turned their grief into advocacy and worked with Survivors Say along with allies in the support community for domestic violence survivors and leaders in law enforcement on Cape Cod, on proposals to strengthen domestic violence laws to better protect survivors and spark change in the system in Brianna’s memory.
Kaoutar Naqqad, Imane Mallah and Wafae El Arar
Kaoutar Naqqad, Imane Mallah, and Wafae El Arar were three friends from Revere, Massachusetts, who tragically died in Belize in February 2025. We managed incoming media requests around their deaths and worked closely with the families of these women on a detailed and heartfelt statement to push for answers during the ongoing investigation. In the end, the investigators ruled that the women died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning, likely from a faulty water heater. The aftermath of this case is, most importantly, closure for Kaoutar, Imane and Wafae’s families and their memories but has also stirred a broader conversation over safety when traveling.
We are grateful to help the families "honor Kaoutar, Imane and Wafae by telling the world about the girls we knew and loved."
Shantel Gillespie
Shantel Gillespie was a mother of three (ages 1, 3 and 6), who had just finished her nursing degree and worked at Boston Children’s Hospital when she was murdered in December 2024.
Susan Rose
Susan Rose moved to Boston after graduating high school to leave her small town for a city. This exciting new life she had planned was cut short when she was horrifically murdered in 1979.
Jacob Galliher
Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher of Pittsfield, Massachusetts was killed on November 29, 2023 in an Air Force Osprey crash off the coast of Japan, leaving his wife, two young children and many other devastated family and friends.
Jessica Mann
Jessica Mann is one of the brave women who have stepped forward to charge Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein with rape.
Alexander Urtula
Alexander Urtula tragically took his own life at 22, hours before he was due to graduate from Boston College, devastating his family, friends and close-knit community.
Tyler Lawrence
Tyler Lawrence was just 13 when his life was cut short in a heinous and random act of gun violence on a Sunday morning in January 2023 while he walked near his grandparents’ home in Mattapan.
Kate Price
Kate Price worked for more than a decade with Boston Globe reporter Janelle Nanos to tell her powerful story of childhood sexual abuse and trafficking by her father.
Maggie Mbitu
Maggie Mbitu was a 31-year-old nurse from Whitman who was found murdered in her car parked at Logan Airport in October 2023
Miguel Estrella
Miguel Estrella worked for Habitat for Humanity and was studying to become an electrician, even as he battled ongoing mental health challenges made worse by the death of a close friend.
We greatly respect the privacy of the individuals we work with.
The information above was posted with approval from the families in hopes that their stories will help others.