About Us
The Backstory
My name is Bettrena Williamson Dortch. I met Thaddius Prez Bussey, or Prez as I called him, in 1997. When we met, he immediately said “you’re going to be my wife one day.” I didn’t believe him, but sure enough, 3 years later we married in a beautiful ceremony surrounded by family and friends. Four years after that, we had an adorable baby boy, Thaddius Prez Bussey, II (TP). Unfortunately, our marriage ended in 2007, but after time and healing, Prez and I became friends and co-parented our son together.
Events
News
Contact
The Present
On June 24, 2017, Prez passed away, leaving me with an angry 13 year old boy, who was deeply hurt, angry, and depressed. Several months after Prez passed, I sent TP to a bereavement camp to help him learn ways to cope with the loss of his father. The camp really helped him and he made lifelong friends. The next summer the camp was non-existent. Over the next few months, TP continued to endure pain from his dad’s death. He went to counseling, but he still had moments of intense grief. I have felt an overwhelming desire to help him and other kids who are suffering from the loss of a loved one, to cope, give their grief a voice, find hope and begin to heal.
On a lighter note, I was blessed not to be in this fight alone. My husband, and TP’s bonus dad Terrence, work really hard to show TP time, attention and love. Terrence has been a great support assisting TP with coping. As a man, TP often feels more comfortable talking to him about boy “stuff’. As a bonus parent, Terrence has learned how to connect with TP without making him feel like he’s trying to take his dad’s place. TP and I are both grateful to receive the love and support Terrence gives during this process.
The Future
With the grief camp no longer an option, I prayed, and God told me to start a foundation in Prez’s name and implement a camp like the one that had helped begin the healing in TP’s life. After months of research and preparation, The Thaddius Prez Bussey Foundation was official. The journey to help TP, and other grieving children, had finally begun.
The foundation will be used as a catalyst to bring hope and healing to kids and families who are grieving from the loss of a loved one. The camp will act as the signature activity, where we will bring kids together to learn how to give their grief a voice. Not talking and refusing to communicate about their feelings is a big issue for kids who are grieving. It is our goal to eradicate those hindrances and help kids open up about their inner thoughts and feelings. The foundation will also give several book scholarships annually to at least three high school seniors who have lost a parent and one high school senior who is musically inclined, like Prez, and has a desire to study music in college.
The next steps are to eventually have sessions for parents who are struggling with how to help themselves and their grieving kids cope. Additionally, we will provide information and assistance for bonus parents who are helping their bonus child through the grieving process. The overall goal of the Thaddius Prez Bussey Foundation is to assist families give their grief a voice and heal, one child at a time.
Get In Touch
Location: 250 Georgia Ave East P.O. Box 143511 Fayetteville, GA 30214
Email: tpbusseyfoundation@gmail.com
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Thaddius Prez Bussey Foundation, Inc. does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, selection of volunteers, vendors and campers, and provision of services. The Thaddius Prez Bussey Foundation Camp is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of its staff, volunteers, vendors, campers, and camper families.