How Do I Cope With the Death of My High School Classmate?
Submitted by Heidi Horsley on March 4, 2009 – 8:59 amDr. Heidi Horsley is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Open to Hope Foundation.? She is an internationally known... more
No CommentLaura writes in: A junior in my high school just died this morning and there are plenty of us who don?t want to say goodbye. A lot of us want him back. Tell us how to accept the death better and tell us how to move on because life doesn?t just stop.
Dr. Heidi Horsley responds: Laura, I am so sorry to hear about the death of your friend. Our friends are such an important part of our life and it’s very hard to lose one, especially someone so young. It’s completely understandable that you and your friends don’t want to say good-bye at this point. Your friend just died and I’m sure it’s difficult to believe that he’s not coming back. When my 17-year-old brother died, his friends initally did not want to say good-bye either, and it helped them to just talk about him and share memories. Hopefully, you and your friends can talk openly about your feelings and how difficult this is for all of you, with time the pain will no longer feel as intense. Continue to reach out to others, talk openly and grieve. Healing takes time but you are moving in the right direction by reaching out for help and suggestions. All the best to you and your friends.
Dr. Horsley is executive director of the Open to Hope Foundation.
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