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Michelle Finn

@michelleafinn

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Hi team, we will be walking in honor of Jeff on Sunday at 10am and at Park Tavern from 11am-1pm enjoying some drinks and good company. Please pop in to hear about the impact of the scholarship fund and hug some old friends. The University of Denver is matching donations for the next 7 days so please make your money go far and donate $20. Link in bio. by @michelleafinn

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18 days ago

The next week carries a lot of emotions for me. The anniversary of losing my brother, my 50th birthday, and then Jeff’s birthday.

This year, some of Jeff’s incredible friends are once again honoring him with a fundraiser to celebrate his life and continue the work he cared so deeply about. The Go Fetch Wellness Walk is October 4, the day before his birthday. It brings together so much of what mattered to Jeff: people, animals, connection, mental health, and taking care of one another.

I’m sharing this not because I want anyone to feel obligated to walk or donate. I simply want to keep Jeff’s memory alive and continue putting some of the goodness he gave to the world back into it.

So on October 4, maybe take a walk. Bring your dog. Think about Jeff if you knew him. Reach out to someone who might need to hear from you. Do something kind. Spread a little love.

And if Jeff’s mission speaks to you, you can join the walk at Piedmont Park or support the Go Fetch Wellness Memorial Fund, which continues the work he cared so much about around the powerful connection between people, animals, and mental well-being.

Mostly, I just hope that around his birthday, there’s a little more kindness in the world because Jeff was here.

I miss you, Jeff. And I love that your friends continue to carry pieces of you and your work forward. ❤️ by @michelleafinn

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25 days ago

We are so excited, as Jeff’s birthday approaches, to launch another fundraiser in his honor to draw attention to his lifelong cause and mission. Please join us in person or in solidarity by donating. https://socialwork.du.edu/news/continuing-jeff-finks-mission-through-go-fetch-wellness-legacy-fund by @michelleafinn

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a month ago

It’s been three months since the world lost an incredible soul in Jeff Fink. The reason this post is coming now isn’t because the loss feels any easier — it’s because we’ve been working behind the scenes to put everything in place to truly launch something amazing in his honor.

On Saturday, March 21, 2026 — the first Saturday of spring — we’re gathering at the Fireside Pavilion on the festival grounds of Stone Mountain Park to celebrate Jeff’s life and officially launch the Jeff Fink ~ Go Fetch Wellness Scholarship benefiting the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection.

This scholarship exists because Jeff never wanted to be forgotten — he wanted his life to mean something. Even while being handcuffed by severe anxiety and depression, he kept pushing forward, dreaming big, and showing up for others whenever he could.
There were so many things Jeff wanted to accomplish. So many steps he couldn’t take — not from lack of heart, but because depression can be paralyzing. So now, we’re picking up where he always should have been and carrying his vision to a new level, together.

We’ll come together as friends, family, and community to remember, reflect, and celebrate Jeff’s story with Earl and how he opened up real conversations about mental health, hope, and connection through that bond. He truly believed in the healing power of animals and the strength of community.

This event wouldn’t be possible without the incredible planning team Jackie Flake, Ashley Freuler, Michelle Alogna Finn, and Anita Hsu — friends of Jeff who have poured their hearts into creating something meaningful and beautiful.

If Jeff ever made you laugh, impacted your life, or simply reminded you to lead with kindness, we’d love for you to be there. And if you can’t make it in person or feel called to give a little extra, there will be an option to donate directly to support the scholarship as well.
Every ticket and every donation helps carry Jeff’s passion forward in a lasting way. This is about picking up where Jeff left off — and going even further.

Thank you so much for being part of this.

Registration and Donation Links in my bio. by @michelleafinn

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9 months ago

🙏🏻 As we step into Thanksgiving this year, my heart is a little heavier and a lot more reflective. It has been a year of deep challenges and profound loss, and it’s our family’s first holiday season without my brother, Jeff Fink. We miss him more than words can express, and we’re choosing to honor his memory by holding onto the joy, connection, and gratitude he brought into our lives.

There have been some tough days, but through it all, I’m grateful for my health, my family, my friends, and the incredible people who have shown up and stood beside me. And I know many others are carrying heavy hearts too…if the holidays feel different for you this year, please know you’re not alone.

Even with the shifts and the sadness, gratitude still finds its way in…for the people I love, the work I’m able to do, the community that surrounds me, and the memories that keep those we’ve lost close.

I’m deeply thankful for the people who make my world feel full…my clients, colleagues, partners, friends, and my family who supports me through both the busy seasons and the hard ones. Your trust, encouragement, and kindness have meant more than you know.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, good company, and moments that bring you back to what matters most. Thank you for being such an important part of my life and my journey.

With love,
Jodi 🧡 by @michelleafinn

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a year ago

UPDATE: We’ve been so moved by the love and support surrounding Jeff’s passing. If you have photos, videos, or stories to share, we’d be honored to gather them all in one place: www.tinyurl.com/memoriesofjeff

My beloved brother Jeff passed away yesterday morning after years of profound struggle with persistent mental and physical pain. He ultimately traveled to Switzerland, where he was able to intentionally and courageously find peace with assistance.

Many of you know Jeff or followed Go Fetch Wellness. For decades, he lived with a pain most of us will never fully understand. Mental illness shaped much of his adult life, but it never defined the entirety of who he was. He was thoughtful, funny, deeply loving, and incredibly sensitive to the needs and feelings of others - often to his own detriment.

He wanted to get better. He fought so hard, for almost 30 years. He tried everything: medication, hospitalizations, ECT, ketamine, TMS, therapy, and more. His resilience was quiet but relentless. Even when he was exhausted, he kept showing up - for himself, and for all of us.

He stayed on this earth far longer than he wanted to, not for himself, but for his family and those who loved him. One of his greatest struggles wasn’t just the suffering he endured, but the heartbreak of imagining how we would survive losing him. That’s the kind of heart he had.

Jeff asked that when he was gone, I tell people. He didn’t want to disappear quietly. He wanted to be remembered, prayed for, thought of with love. He believed those prayers would help his soul find peace.

So today, I honor that promise. If you knew him, even just a little, I hope you’ll take a moment to send him light and love. I deeply believe that his spirit is free now. Free from pain, free from fear. And I pray that he is finally at peace - looking down on us, protecting us, loving us, and knowing that he mattered.

You did matter, Jeff. You always will. May your memory be a blessing, and your soul be surrounded in light. We love you ❤️ by @michelleafinn

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a year ago

Thanks so much for all the birthday messages! It’s a special time of the year to hear from those I haven’t connected with in a long time.

Hoping this year brings more peace and contentment and starting that off with some beautiful beach weather in Florida.

The beach has always been a place I can go to relax, be in the present moment, and experience much more peace of mind. taken in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida by @michelleafinn

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3 years ago

Moments ❤️ taken in Blue Ridge, Georgia by @michelleafinn

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3 years ago

Someone has a birthday coming up Sunday!🥳 🐶

This Sunday, Earl will turn 11. In preparation for his bday, we’ve spent some quality time together in the Georgia mountains. Life is different now, and much harder for Earl, but we have no choice but to press forward.

His hiking days might be over, his working days are few and far between, but we’ve found some new sports that he loves. This picture was taken yesterday after his first time on a stand up paddle board. We paddled out to an island, and he got to swim, chew on sticks, and work on his tan.

I’m thankful we’ve found ways he can still enjoy life, since depression has plagued us both, especially this summer.

When Earl’s happy, I’m happy. I know happiness should come from within, but I have to say that after the last 5 years of nearly losing my best friend many times, I do find happiness in the beautiful moments like this one.

When my mind allows me, I try to practice gratitude for the time I’ve had with Earl and continue to have.

I’m not ready to get a dog again, not sure if I can train another service dog, but I do know that I wouldn’t trade the last almost 11 years with this beautiful soul for anything ❤️ taken in Lake Blue Ridge by @michelleafinn

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3 years ago

Beautiful sunset after a day of storms taken in Blue Ridge, Georgia by @michelleafinn

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3 years ago

Earl’s Tubing Adventure 🐶 taken in Blue Ridge, Georgia by @michelleafinn

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3 years ago

“We have only now, only this single eternal moment opening and unfolding before us, day and night.”

-Jack Kornfield taken in Hole in the Wall - Rialto Beach by @michelleafinn

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3 years ago