My name is Mandy LaFavor, and I was raised in Bakersfield, California, in a hardworking middle-class family that instilled in me values of perseverance, grit, humility, and above all, gratitude for what you have, because life can change in an instant.
I purchased CryoFloat360 because of my son, Austyn.
After Austyn was involved in a serious motorcycle accident, my family was suddenly immersed in a world filled with pain, recovery, uncertainty, and the desperate search for healing beyond prescriptions and temporary fixes. I began exploring therapies that supported the body’s natural ability to heal—not because I was planning a business, but because I was trying to help my son. That search led me to the solution that ultimately became CryoFloat360. What started as a mother's fight for her child's recovery evolved into a deeper purpose.
But life has a way of humbling you in unexpected ways.
Reflecting on the past, I realize now something I wish I had understood then. In my urgency to treat Austyn’s physical injuries, I overlooked the deeper, invisible wounds—his mental health challenges, which could not be captured on scans or measured in tests. We fought so hard for his physical healing, and like so many families, we did not completely recognize the silent struggle occurring within him.
Then, only six months after purchasing CryoFloat360, my life changed forever.
My son died by suicide. He hung himself.
I state this plainly because the truth matters. Some might assume his death was tied to addiction or overdose due to his motorcycle accident and the pain he endured, but that was not the case. His death was suicide.
No parent should ever have to bury their child.
Such a loss transforms you. It thrusts you into a club no one wishes to join—a community formed on grief, unanswered questions, and a pain that settles into your very bones. It becomes part of who you are; you learn to carry it, but the weight never truly disappears.
His last words to me were:
“Everything will be okay.”
Those words continue to reside in me.
They carry me on days when grief feels overwhelmingly heavy. They remind me that even in unimaginable pain, purpose can still be found.
One of the greatest truths life has imparted to me is that you never understand the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
There are ordinary moments I would give anything to experience once more: one more conversation, one more laugh, one more hug, one last chance to express everything left unsaid. Loss teaches you quickly what truly matters, and it also informs you that healing is not linear. Healing is a messy, painful, and deeply personal process.
I have learned to live by these words:
Accept what is.
Let go of what was.
Have faith in what will be.
This does not mean forgetting. It doesn’t imply the pain simply vanishes. It means choosing to continue living with purpose.
After losing Austyn, there were days when even breathing felt burdensome, and simply getting through the day appeared impossible. One of the things that has been most helpful to me is float therapy. In the stillness and weightlessness found in cryo float sessions, I find a much-needed space to grieve, to think, and to quiet the noise that grief introduces to the mind and heart. For a time, the crushing weight of pain lightens.
Float therapy is not just a service I offer at CryoFloat360; it is something I personally depend upon. It remains a crucial element of my healing journey, my recovery, and my life reset.
I have also witnessed how other therapies can bolster mental wellness. Whole body cryotherapy in Bakersfield, CA, can help elevate mood and reduce inflammation linked to stress. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy supports brain health, clarity, and recovery, while red light therapy promotes relaxation and restoration. Sometimes, healing begins with granting the body and mind a chance to reset, recharge, and breathe.
That is the essence of what CryoFloat360 represents to me.
Not merely a luxurious wellness boutique.
Not a polished brand pretending that life is flawless.
Not a place created by people who have never experienced pain.
We are human here.
We understand struggle.
We understand grief.
We understand loss.
We understand stress, heartbreak, anxiety, and the feeling of simply getting through the day when it exhausts every ounce of your strength.
Most importantly, we know that sometimes people don’t need advice.
Sometimes, they don’t need to be fixed.
Sometimes they just need someone to listen.
If you are a parent grieving the loss of a child, someone mourning the death of a loved one, someone grappling with the pain of losing a relationship or connection with someone still alive, or just someone silently suffering in ways the world cannot perceive, I want to tell you this:
You do not have to endure that pain alone.
At CryoFloat360, we aim not just to assist people in their physical healing but to listen, to provide a safe space, and to remind individuals that their lives hold value.
If I can support another parent traversing the difficult path of child loss, someone mourning suicide loss, someone whose heart aches from separation, or even one individual quietly battling internal pain, then that is significant.
If sharing my story helps even one person hold on, reach out for help, choose to face another day, or simply feel acknowledged, then my suffering has found purpose.
Then Austyn’s life continues to hold meaning in a way that transcends tragedy and transforms into hope for another.
If there is one word that embodies how I choose to live, it is gratitude.
Gratitude for life.
Gratitude for love.
Gratitude for strength.
And gratitude for every moment, because one day, it all becomes a memory.
That is who I am.
That is why CryoFloat360 exists.
And that is how I choose to honor my son.