{"id":14796,"date":"2025-06-09T15:58:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T19:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thealfam.com\/evermore\/public\/?p=14796"},"modified":"2026-07-28T13:15:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T17:15:18","slug":"bo-hawg-evermore-love-story-a-deep-fried-meaning-found-in-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thealfam.com\/evermore\/bo-hawg-evermore-love-story-a-deep-fried-meaning-found-in-grief\/","title":{"rendered":"Bo-Hawg & Evermore, A Love Story & A Fish Fry: A Deep-Fried Meaning Found in Grief"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” row_position_desktop=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n

Bo-Hawg & Evermore, A Love Story & A Fish Fry:<\/h2>\n

A Deep-Fried Meaning Found in Grief<\/h2>\n

How Bo-Hawg<\/a> owner Greenberry Taylor injected Evermore into Pig Fish’s DNA and the culminating Fryin’ Up Good Vibes Fish Fry in Alabama that we’ve all been waiting for.<\/h5>\n

Grease popping, no breeze, standing in direct sunlight, lifting coolers with 50 pounds of grouper, hands coated in cornmeal and batter, and a heat index of 107. Ah, those were the days.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what it was like cooking seafood with my pops. My man LOVED this. A big reason is because he did this with his dad growing up. Later in life they began volunteering their services (and fish) as a way to help raise money for youth sports in our hometown. They would fry grouper, boil peanuts, boil shrimp \u2014 you name it, they did it.<\/p>\n

So, it was only natural that my siblings and I grew up sharing this tradition with him. My brother and I even fried the fish, boiled the shrimp, and made the west indies salad for my wedding rehearsal dinner. Swear to god we were both back there frying fish as guests were walking up.<\/p>\n

Anytime someone was strategizing how to raise money for their non-profit or event, pops was first to volunteer. \u201cI\u2019d like to donate the seafood and my services,\u201d he\u2019d say. People knew his reputation for frying up some of the best damn fish you\u2019ve ever had in your life, so they were as happy to accept.<\/p>\n

\"\"When he volunteered though, it meant we (his kids and whoever else he could wrangle) were also volunteering. My brother tells great stories of times my dad would casually say, \u201cWe\u2019re cooking for so-and-so this weekend. It\u2019s about 200 people.\u201d Usually, he told my brother mid-week. Classic. He cooked for local churches, sports events, and individuals, but I will always remember cooking for Children of the World.<\/p>\n

Children of the World, a non-profit that is an intercountry adoption service that places children in adoptive homes in Alabama. From my memory, I always remember this being in July. And to quote my man Stevie Wonder, it was hotter than July outside. Standing next to two, 30-gallon fryers with the butane fueled flames roaring so loud it sounded like a heavy breeze running through a tunnel just turned the temp dial up higher.<\/p>\n

But my dad loved it. He loved the people that ran it. He loved what they did for kids and families. He always looked forward to this event, even though it was a lot <\/em>of work.<\/p>\n

What he did not like was the recognition. Pops never volunteered for the shine. Never to hear the words, \u201cWe\u2019d like to thank G.B. Taylor for cooking.\u201d In fact, I remember one time when they surprised him with an award in front of a ton of people. While he appreciated it, being recognized made him cringe. I\u2019m pretty sure when they handed him the mic he said, \u201cI don\u2019t want this.\u201d<\/p>\n

I say all of this to let you know that giving back was something my dad was passionate about. I knew when I launched The Bo-Hawg<\/a> that parts of him needed to be embedded in the fabric of who we are.<\/p>\n

\"\"That is how I found Evermore.<\/p>\n

I created a spreadsheet of nonprofits that focused on grief and\/or bereavement. All-in-all I probably looked at 50. Next to each were their 2-3 sentence elevator pitch\/mission followed by a transparency score or status (e.g., silver, gold, platinum, etc.). Looking at those scores and status awards, it was bananas how many shitty organizations there are \u201cdedicated to grieving.\u201d<\/p>\n

GRIEVING! Literally one of the most jarring life experiences a human can face, and people are taking advantage? Truly disheartening.<\/p>\n

My obsession with transparency stems from my time as a journalist. I never approached a story thinking <\/em>I would be lied to; however, I always was conscious of the potential and therefore would do deep dives. Sometimes my notes really did look like that Charlie Day meme where there is red string spiderwebbed across a board and psychotic grin to match.<\/p>\n

I also had just finished watching Telemarketers<\/em>, a documentary that examines those bogus call centers that push charities. It is truly wild, and I recommend it if you are into those true crime type docs.<\/p>\n

Apologies for the detour, back to finding Evermore.<\/p>\n

I knew I wanted to team up with an organization that was \u201cin the shit.\u201d By that I mean people working, grinding, and making every effort to provide resources to those dealing with what I was (and still am) going through. Some non-profits are hands off, which is not a bad thing. But my experience is standing next to fryers in July, so I wanted someone in that same headspace.<\/p>\n

And honestly, Evermore was not who I was expecting we\u2019d link up with. They are big picture thinkers who are grinding to make nationwide change on a policy level for bereaved people. They have been featured in The New York Times<\/em>, The Atlantic, <\/em>on Good Morning America, and more!<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely these people will not have time for a small-time company like us,\u201d I thought. \u201cThey\u2019re just plug-and-play (meaning hands-off) at this point, and our small potatoes won\u2019t mean anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the language on their site sounded so <\/em>authentic, so <\/em>personal. I could feel<\/em>\u00a0 how they were talking about grief and loss and the indescribable f**king fallout that comes after losing someone. They even have this line on their mission page that says, \u201cWe need more than thoughts and prayers.\u201d That\u2019s exactly how I feel!<\/p>\n

\"\"And to top it all off, they use data and science to help them push change. That is LITERALLY what I did for nearly 10 years of my life as a research scientist focused on patient-provider communication, mental health and emerging adults, and similar projects.<\/p>\n

So, just like Travis Kelce\u2026I shot my shot and sent an email to one of those generic addresses listed on a website. Two days later, I received a response from one of their team members, Jena, asking if we could set up a time to talk.<\/p>\n

At this very moment, I am moved to tears thinking about that first call with Jena. I was totally expecting her to be all business with questions about what I could contribute financially, how things would work legally. I imagined it was going to be real sterile. Instead, she started the conversation out by saying this:<\/p>\n

I read the story about the Pig Fish and your dad. It\u2019s so wonderful that you created this for him. Can you tell me about him?<\/em><\/p>\n

Seriously, I am sobbing reliving that moment. I couldn\u2019t believe a few things, the first being that she read my website, the second that she wanted to hear about my pops. Man, I was taken back. I am pretty sure I got choked up because until then, sharing my pops with the world was just me writing and posting on social media. I was never really asked about him by a stranger.<\/p>\n

The conversation we had was so beautiful. I talked about my pops and what I was going through in the wake of his death. She shared her own story of loss, which I will refrain from telling since it is not mine to share. And then, we talked about music and storytelling.<\/p>\n

Jena explained that they imagined using the donations from The Bo-Hawg<\/a> to put toward storytelling. She told me about Evermore\u2019s belief in sharing others stories and the power that it holds. Given that my dad was a storyteller, and I am a storyteller, it could not have seemed more perfect.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cWe don\u2019t have a lot of sales right now, and I am really not sure when or if <\/em>it will take off,\u201d I admitted to Jena. \u201cWe aren\u2019t worried about the money,\u201d she said, \u201cwe just appreciate you thinking of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boom! Another moment I couldn\u2019t believe was happening. She really didn\u2019t care that we were small potatoes. It didn\u2019t matter that our contributions might be small or large. What was important was that we shared the same values about helping those with grief.<\/p>\n

The last 15 minutes we talked about the Grateful Dead and how Jena met her husband, how she got to see Billy Strings (a Pig Fish favorite) before he blasted into stardom, although she admitted he has always been a prodigy. I learned more about Joyal, Evermore\u2019s founder. She is a badass, be sure to check her out!<\/p>\n

The conversation wrapped with me communicating that The Bo-Hawg<\/a> was not interested in promoting our relationship with Evermore on a large stage. That means no advertisements saying, \u201cPart of all proceeds go to Evermore\u2026\u201d More and more on social media you see brands that advertise their contribution to a cause to move weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuy a shirt, plant three trees.\u201d Or, \u201cSave the turtles, buy a bracelet.\u201d I am not knocking brands that do this. Heck, I imagine a lot of good does come from them! But my DNA for giving is the same as my dad’s. We are not doing it for the shine or to push our product. We are doing it because we care and want to help out an organization whose mission we believe in.<\/p>\n

This post will be the only place on the site where I acknowledge our relationship, or whatever you want to call it. Its existence will only be known to those who purchase a product, talk about it organically, read this post, or if Evermore decides to share.<\/p>\n

I am not an idiot. I know that at some point I might talk about our partnership if asked. Or we could collaborate on a design where all proceeds go to Evermore. If that does happen, please refer to this post. To quote Sean Carter, who will sometimes use verses from Christopher Wallace\u2019s songs, \u201cI say a B.I.G. verse, I’m only biggin’ up my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"In other words, if The Bo-Hawg<\/a> is talking about Evermore, we are doing so to raise visibility for them and their cause. Yes, a natural bi-product will be that our brand awareness might jump, but that\u2019s just how it is. It\u2019s not our goal or motive.<\/p>\n

The Pig Fish is a cool design. I love it. It reminds me of my pops every time I see it. I love that people are wearing it. But I want it to have a deeper meaning, something that pops would stop and say, \u201cThat\u2019s really cool. I\u2019m glad it\u2019s helping.\u201d<\/p>\n

I will close by saying that my mission will always be for the Pig Fish to evolve. Injecting Evermore into its DNA is just one way I believe that can happen. It also is awesome that this part of the evolution has pops in it.<\/p>\n

Join Evermore & Bo-Hawg in Daphne, Alabama for our first annual Fryin\u2019 Up Good Vibes Fish Fry<\/a><\/strong>. Come together to honor the lives of those we love, build community, and create lasting change for bereaved people nationwide!<\/p>\n

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Keep up to date on the latest legislative actions, news, resources, and events advancing bereavement care in America.<\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”center” phone_text_alignment=”center” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”right” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”right” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”default” content_layout=”default” gradient_type=”default”][nectar_cta btn_style=”arrow-animation” arrow_animation_alignment=”left” heading_tag=”span” link_type=”new_tab” button_color=”accent-color” button_color_hover=”#247CC1″ text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_color_hover=”#FFFFFF” button_border_thickness=”2px” alignment=”center” alignment_tablet=”default” alignment_phone=”default” display=”block” display_tablet=”inherit” display_phone=”inherit” link_text=”Sign Up Now” font_size_desktop=”1.1em” url=”https:\/\/thealfam.com\/evermore\/mailing-list\/” padding_top=”0.65em” padding_bottom=”0.65em” padding_left=”1.5em” padding_right=”1.5em”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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