'Grief can eventually turn into growth': Winnipeggers share recovery stories after loss

Her volleyball career was cut short by a devastating back injury.

Graduation from film school didn't land her a dream gig in the industry.

Retiring from his life in construction left him at loose ends. 

Grief comes in many forms. It did for three Winnipeggers, who shared their stories as part of a new short documentary about unexpected forms of grief that aren't associated with death. 

"Grief is what happens when we experience a loss and it can be a variety of kinds of losses," said Wayne Sadler, an outreach and education co-ordinator with Palliative Care Manitoba. "So obviously the most devastating kind of loss is a death, but grief can also happen when we have other kinds of losses." 

Case in point: Lisa Kachkowsky's career as an elite national volleyball player ended prematurely after she suffered a herniated disc in her back. While she was "crushed" at the time, she moved on with her life and became a teacher. 

"Really volleyball — that life experience — was a small piece of the pie. There is still so much more to life than just that game," Kachkowsky said. 

For Francesca Munsi, graduation from Vancouver Film School didn't result in an immediate job.

"I was upset for a while over not being able to jump straight in and be able to do what I loved," she said. 

And Herald Boychuk, 83, faced his own loss after retirement and the march of time. 

"When you admit to yourself that no matter how much you don't want to slow down because of old age, you've got to have in your own mind that you have no choice," Boychuk said. "And that in itself brought me some sadness."

These reactions are not unusual, Sadler says. 

"When you experience a loss, it means that that person or that situation was really important to you," he said.  

Sadler says it's important to address those feelings of grief and then move forward by "taking that energy and turning it into new opportunities." 

For Munsi, her dream of an animation career is still on the table, and she is taking time to map out a strategy. 

"Dealing with grief has been a kind of a new thing for me," Munsi said. "I've kind of figured that, you know, you can learn a lot from grief. And grief can eventually turn into growth."

Overcoming different forms of grief is the subject of a three-minute documentary by students in the Create program at Sisler High School, a post-high school program that trains students in the creative digital arts, including filmmaking.

Create students Tyler Ullyot, Annabella Katiniaris and Ben Crowe produced the short video.

Meet the filmmakers

Tyler Ullyot has been interested in being a filmmaker since Grade 9, when he took a digital media class just for fun. He enjoys making videos for YouTube or shooting and editing short films with friends, and always tries to challenge himself by learning new techniques and programs to help prepare him for the industry. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, photography, biking and playing hockey. 

Annabella Katiniaris has had an interest in movie-making since they were little. They love filming and editing, and also have a love for graphic design. They love nature and being with the people they care about, and want to use their time on the planet to learn, create, feel, help others and discover the secrets of the universe — if they have the time.

Ben Crowe has had a passion for filmmaking since starting as a five-year-old. He is interested in many areas of film production, including cinematography, shooting, editing and directing. In his free time, he likes to watch movies and his favourite YouTube creators, many of which serve as inspiration for future projects.

More about Project POV: Sisler Create

CBC Manitoba's Project POV: Sisler Create is a storytelling collaboration that partners filmmaking students with CBC Manitoba journalists to produce short docs. You can see past projects here. 

The Winnipeg School Division's Create program is hosted at Sisler High School and trains post-high students in the creative digital arts.

During fall 2024, CBC journalists taught storytelling to filmmaking students and led producing workshops at Sisler.

Create focuses on education and career pathways into the creative industries. Students can take courses in animation, film, game design, visual effects, graphic design and interactive digital media.