6 Coloradans took to the Colorado River to grieve. What they found was a way to feel less alone.

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LOMA — On a cloudy Friday morning in August, pickup trucks and Subarus bustled around the Loma boat ramp, dropping off boats and paddlers ready for a weekend of fun on the Colorado River.

Not far away, a small group of people sat in a circle of camp chairs. They, too, were heading out on the river, but for a different sort of trip.

“We’re going to go around and introduce ourselves,” said Mike Podmore, the leader of the three-day voyage. “Feel free to tell a little bit of your story if you want.”

One by one, the members — all Colorado residents who ranged in age from their 40s to their 70s — shared their stories of death and grief. It was the start of a grief therapy retreat on the Colorado River, and the clients and crew members on the trip had lost parents, c