The Wings of Hope Foundation, a new support space for parents and guardians grieving the loss of a child, was launched on Wednesday evening by founder Nicoletta Farrugia Mangion, who established the initiative after losing her son Mattias earlier this year.

Interviewed by this newsroom in November, she had said she made a promise that his memory would guide her. "Today, that promise lives on in the Wings of Hope Foundation, a space she created for parents or guardians carrying the silent weight of losing a child," she had said.

Addressing a small gathering of 14 people at the launch, Farrugia Mangion described the foundation as a safe space for those carrying what she called the "silent weight" of bereavement, stressing that the group is intended to offer mutual support rather than therapy.

Farrugia Mangion, a mother of three, spoke openly about the impact of losing her son Mattias eight months ago, describing how the experience left her physically and emotionally depleted.

She rejected the notion that grieving parents are expected to display strength at all times.

"People often tell me I am strong, that I handled my loss like some kind of superhero. But I am here to be honest with you: I am no superhero," she said, adding that for months she was "literally existing", bedbound and unable to return to work.

She explained that the idea for Wings of Hope emerged from her own struggle with acute distress and social anxiety after returning to everyday life, particularly the feeling of being surrounded by people while carrying overwhelming grief internally.

"I remember sitting in a place crowded with people and thinking to myself, if only someone knew what I am going through within, so that I can cry my heart out and it would be acceptable," she said.

Farrugia Mangion said that one thought then led to another, and she soon found herself questioning if someone else was going through the same, a silent battle that she knew nothing about.

The Foundation, she said, was born from the need "to feel listened to, and supported", and from a desire to hold space for others facing similar loss.

While acknowledging that grief is a lifelong journey, Farrugia Mangion said that Wings of Hope is not about "moving on", but about finding ways to move forward that make sense to those affected.

"This is about moving forward in ways that make sense to me. Being miserable or not, nothing will bring my son back," she said.

She said that Wings of Hope plans to hold meetings every six weeks, alongside additional social events, with sessions shaped around the needs expressed by participants.

Farrugia Mangion said the foundation would also act as a bridge to professional support when required.

"Together we can ease each other's suffering, we can listen with compassion and without judgement. We can just sit in silence and still feel understood. Together we can honour our children and hopefully find a new meaning to life," Farrugia Mangion said.