I too lost my son to an IED in Iraq on May 26th 2007 and I like you am lost and do not know who to talk with or to. I have 3 other children all grown but all who need mom to be strong or they fall apart so I am strong for them, a husband who loves me but cant really understand since Charlie was his step son for only 6 years and friends that mean well and love me but again just dont know what to say. I have been coping but now that time has passed I am cracking and each day gets harder and harder to pretend that I am doing ok. I miss him so much and just feel so cheated that I didnt get to see him for so long and now his unit is coming home and he will not be with them. I hope for you and I that we find peace and if you need another mom to talk to please email me. Love from a Gold Star mom and a very Proud Mom of a Stryker Soldier.
Dear Jody,

Thank you for reaching out from your own pain and loss to comfort Holly.? It is often in comforting others that we receive the most comfort??????????????????? ourselves and we hope? this is true for you.

We are so very sorry for your loss and grateful to and for your son and all the other young men and women who protect us so valiantly.? The death of a child regardless of the circumstances is perhaps the single hardest thing we have to endure in our lifetime and we truly understand what you are experiencing.

For someone to talk to we encourage you to find a group of Compassionate Friends in your area. Each member has experienced the death of a child and each has survived and grieved in his or her own way. With this group you do not have to walk this path alone and can express your grief openly and freely. For more information or to find them in your area go to http://www.compassionatefriends.org/

We also invite you to listen on Thursday mornings to the radio show Healing the Grieving Heart? You can find information about it and a link to it on the first page of http://www.thegriefblog.com? You might also find a number of past shows that can give you help and comfort at http://thegriefblog.com/grief-grieving-death-of-a-child/

We will post your letter and our response on The Grief Blog so that it may help others. You might like to check back now and then for responses.

Blessings,

Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley