July 2, 2021
In Remembrance
Nadia Luckhoff, Community Manager, Experience Leader
CoHo, Atlanta, GA
Employee since 2017
Some people can make a lasting impact on our lives, even if we only get to spend a short amount of time with them. When a beloved resident was the victim of a tragic accident, our community was struggling to make sense of this insurmountable loss. And while we knew there was nothing we could do to ease the pain, the Venterra staff wanted to show up to the community with a thoughtful way to memorialize our beloved resident for years to come.
The Opportunity
On August 12 2019, Sheridan Lowe moved to CoHo with his husband, Scott. They were looking for a fresh start in a new home and were so full of excitement. A drop-in to the Leasing Office would turn into an hour-long conversation of the lives they left behind and the ones they looked so forward to starting. A writer and a chef respectively, their creativity, kindness and compassion shone through in every aspect of their lives, including their wish to make us all feel like one big family. They even brought us homemade jam for the holidays! In 2019, Sheridan and Scott attended our “Pictures with Santa” event and brought along their beautiful puppy, Endora. They filled the room with light and laughter. After a few glasses of spiked punch, Sheridan was telling hilarious stories left and right, breaking the ice and facilitating conversations across the entire room. His quick-talking energy was so powerful — he’d often stumble over his words as even his lips couldn’t keep up with his sparkling spirit. On Wednesday, September 30 at 11 PM, Sheridan was taking Endora on a routine walk. As he was rounding the circle, he was struck by a vehicle and killed on impact.
The Epiphany
The news sent shockwaves throughout the Venterra and Buckhead communities — things like this don’t happen in the picture-perfect community of CoHo. We’d senselessly lost a wonderful man. I didn’t cry until a few days later, after the full weight of the news hit me and I began reminiscing on the person that Sheridan was and his short but powerful impact on our lives. We wanted to provide Scott and our residents with something to always remember Sheridan. While the couple wasn’t particularly religious, we were all in agreement that nature has its own spiritual and healing quality.
The Wow Moment
I knew there would be no words to help mend his husband’s pain, but we had to at least try and bring back some of the light that was lost. On November 25, 2020, we held a tree planting ceremony in Sheridan’s honor. After many trips to several different nurseries, I happened upon an “Ace of Hearts” and it stopped me in my tracks. Each leaf is in the shape of a heart. And while the leaves are currently dwindling as the cold weather approaches, the tree blossoms in the spring with a beautifully bright and dramatic display. This living memorial of Sheridan was much-needed. Scott’s eyes brightened and his spirit lifted, if even for just a moment. It’s the perfect homage to our friend who will forever be in our hearts.