In a heart-wrenching tale of survival and transformation, Stuart Green recounts how he and his three children navigated the aftermath of a devastating tragedy. In 2017, Green’s wife, Mia Mascarinas-Green, was brutally murdered while driving their children home from school in the Philippines. This life-altering event propelled the family into a challenging journey of healing and resilience, which Green has detailed in his new book, *The Regenerate Leap*.
A Nightmarish Reality
On that fateful day, Mia, a dedicated human rights and environmental lawyer, was shot nine times in a shocking attack. The gunmen targeted her while the couple’s three children—then just 18-month-old twins and a nine-year-old daughter—were in the back seat. Miraculously, the firearm jammed before they could be harmed. Yet, the psychological impact of the incident left indelible marks on the young minds of the children.
Following the tragedy, Green made the heart-wrenching decision to leave their home in the Philippines and return to the UK for the sake of safety and stability. “We lost everything in just ten days,” he recalls. “We had to start from scratch with only three bags to our name. The kids looked to me for answers I didn’t have, and while my world was crumbling, I had to be their rock.”
The Path to Healing
In the years following Mia’s death, Green turned to journaling as an outlet for his grief, filling over 500 notebooks with his thoughts and emotions. It was only recently, as his children began to find joy in their lives again, that he felt ready to confront the trauma head-on. “I wanted to document our journey, to illustrate how we could emerge from this horrific situation and start to live again,” he explains.
Green’s book is not just a personal account; it serves as a guide for parents grappling with crises that threaten to tear families apart. He emphasises that healing is not about merely bouncing back to the past, a concept he believes is impossible. Instead, it’s about “bouncing forward” into a new reality where hope and love can flourish anew.
Lessons from Nature
Drawing parallels between the regeneration of ocean ecosystems and family life, Green introduces a framework that illuminates how families can rebuild after devastation. He outlines three essential phases: raze, enrich, and grow. The raze phase involves clearing away what no longer serves a purpose, acknowledging the new reality. The enrich phase is about developing the skills and support systems necessary for the future, while the grow phase focuses on emerging stronger than before.
“It’s akin to a forest fire; everything burns away, but from that ashes, new life can emerge,” he says. “You have to go through each phase—there’s no skipping ahead to growth without first enriching the soil of your new life.”
The Journey Continues
Green has been open with his children about their mother’s death, initially reframing it as a tragic accident until they were old enough to understand the truth. His eldest daughter, now 18 and studying law, has chosen to honour her mother by pursuing the same career path. Meanwhile, the twins have begun to heal, with their memories of that horrific day buried deep, often surfacing only in dreams.
“Happy-sad is how we describe our days now,” Green reflects. “There are moments of sunshine alongside the clouds, but we’ve learned to embrace both. Joy is a part of our lives again, and that is a testament to how far we have come.”
Why it Matters
Stuart Green’s story is one of profound resilience and transformation—a testament to the human spirit’s ability to heal, even in the face of unimaginable loss. His insights and framework not only offer hope to those enduring similar tragedies but also challenge us all to reconsider our approaches to adversity. In a world often overshadowed by pain, Green’s journey serves as a reminder that from the depths of despair, new life can emerge, stronger and more vibrant than before.
