Most children who have a sibling die due to a pregnancy loss or stillbirth, or in the first few months of life, will experience a grief reaction.  However, often times, their grief is overlooked or …

By Michelle Linn-Gust –
When I found out that Farrah Fawcett had anal cancer, I was taken back to the cancer of my friend, Bonnie, who died 3 1/2 years ago. I was with Bonnie almost …

By Beryl Kaminsky –
The young adult years –?ranging from late teens to early thirties –?span a period of life when most people are self-centered.? Life is all about gaining independence, finding oneself, having a good …

By Scott Mastley –
My first- and second-grade daughters, Margo and Molly, were surprised to see their daddy blinking back tears while watching a dog grooming show on TV.? They were successfully avoiding bedtime by snuggling …

By Mitch Carmody –
In December of 1987, our 9-year-old son Kelly James died following two arduous years of fighting?brain cancer. That ensuing Christmas, we were so numb in our grief that much of it is …

By Sandra Pesmen —
We recently attended several financial seminars given by different money management firms to gather information about handling money when you’re grieving. Our goal is to help people during a time when …

By Nancy Manahan, Ph.D., and Becky Bohan. M.A. –
In our last Open to Hope posting, the extraordinary final moments of Diane’s death in Nancy’s arms were described. Here, Nancy recounts what happened immediately after Diane …

By Linda Pountney —
I was taken captive by life and death at the age of twenty-one.
My identical twin sister Paula and I faced life together for twenty-one years. We never imagined life without the …

By Linda Pountney
As a twin myself, the death of actor and identical twin Jon Hager this month was especially fascinating. Jon and Jim Hager co-starred in the old TV show, “Hee-Haw,” back in the 1970s. …

By Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn —
A few years ago, I ended up at the American Folk Art Museum quite by accident. A friend was visiting from out of town, and we?d intended to go to the …

By Jason Wendroff-Rawnicki – ?

By Bob Baugher –
When a sibling dies, the surviving brothers and sisters often feel enormous guilt. Here are five common types of guilt with a brief description of each.
1. Death-Causation Guilt –?In this type of …

By Michele Neff Hernandez –
There is a song on the radio at this time of year, sung by the Carpenters, called “Merry Christmas, Darling.”? The first Christmas after my husband Phil died, hearing this song …

By Rod Colvin –?
I wrapped my birthday gift and left it on the kitchen table. As I headed to work, I pondered where to take my brother Randy for his birthda. The upcoming evening was …

By Clara Hinton –
Grief is such a difficult journey, but it becomes especially difficult around the holiday season.? Everywhere you look, there are reminders of family times, laughter and cheer, and times spent sitting around …

By Ruby Rose Fox –??
I remember the first time I discovered an ACE bandage. I stole it from the medicine cabinet and quickly hid it in my room. I loved the soft fabric, the way …