Katie Bruell, owner of Mariposa After Loss Assistance, with recent client Judy Machen. Courtesy photo

BUSINESS News:

A new business in town has begun helping people who have lost loved ones. Mariposa After Loss Assistance (www.mariposala.com), started by former PEEC Executive Director Katie Bruell, helps people deal with the often overwhelming number of tasks that need to be completed after someone passes away.

“I watched many friends and family members struggle with contacting Social Security and retirement account providers, canceling subscriptions, changing over bank accounts and asset titles, and all the other myriad tasks that need to be done when they lose a family member,”  Bruell said. “It’s hard that we expect people to be able to handle all of this while grieving their loss at the same time. So I decided to learn how to help them.”

Bruell completed a training course offered by the Professionals of After Loss Assistance member organization, and opened Mariposa After Loss Assistance earlier this year. She recently helped longtime Los Alamos resident Judy Machen take care of her to-do list after her husband, Don, passed away.

“Katie’s help during a difficult time has been invaluable. She is knowledgeable, professional, efficient, and computer savvy,” Machen said. “She kept my spirits up and my stress level down during a difficult time. I could not have managed without her.”

The Mariposa After Loss Assistance website, www.mariposala.com contains many resources, including checklists of tasks, phone numbers for common calls that need to be made after a loss, and helpful tips. It’s also where potential clients can learn more about Bruell and contact her to talk about working together. Mariposa After Loss Assistance is a valuable addition to Los Alamos’s small business community.