Shannah Parr is from Salt Lake City Utah. Along with working with Common Thread, she is also a Master Aesthetician. She works for a medical spa, but her heart is focused on donating her services to people in need. Shannah connected with Common Thread when she taught an acne class for our teens. She immediately fell in love with the program and continued to helpout in any way she could. Helping others in need, especially those going through trauma is truly where her heart lies. Shannah’s mom was 15 when she had her. Her mother is a great mother, but her childhood was tough. She has experienced some of the same trauma that many of the teens we serve have experienced. Shannah’s late husband also had a traumatic childhood after being kicked out of his house by his mom as a young teen, and had an absentee father. They bonded over going through similar experiences as children. Sadly he was killed in Iraq in 2007, their son was four. She watched her son struggle with the loss of his father, especially during his teen years. Luckily Gold Star children have a program that connects them all through a yearly trip. Shannah saw how valuable this program was. How connecting all the children going through the same thing seemed to jumpstart their healing. Her personal experience, combined with knowing about what her late husband had gone through as a teen, while watching their son go through the trauma of losing a parent, gave her a particular passion to help other kids going through trauma. She always hoped there could be a program that was similar to the one her son attended for Gold Star children. When she met Rachel Garrett and learned about Common Thread, she knew she wanted to be involved. It is now her life’s mission, her passion is to help create a safe space for all teens going through trauma.