Death of a Child

Happy New Year is Tough on Bereaved Parents

Monday, January 1, 2024

  When the ball at Times Square drops, champagne corks pop. Ample hugs and kisses are dispensed all around. A new year, new hope, new ventures, new possibilities. Wow, it’s all so exciting! However, for the parent who has lost a child in the previous year, the dawning of a new calendar year can be rough. In fact, most of the time, it is. The bereaved parent can feel isolated, lonely, and sorrowful while everyone else is celebrating. Daniel died at age four in February 1997 and entering 1998 was hard. My mind was filled with questions like: What am […]

Death of a Child

One Mother’s Grief: Embracing ‘Fierce Growth’

Friday, January 6, 2017

A lightning bolt ripped through me and froze my being as I listened to the piercing words of my friend. “Your daughter has been in a bike accident. She died.” I felt everything and I felt nothing. The grieving started with a pattern of feeling split wide open, raw, bleeding; then followed moments of nothing and yet constant pressure and pain. I fell to pieces, shattered.  I became despondent and detached, staring at ceilings, walls, and floors. I lost my appetite, and wanted to disappear. Her 20 years were not enough. I began to increase my times of meditation and […]

Death of a Child

Mark Ireland Recaptured Joy After Loss of Son

Monday, October 15, 2012

Mark Ireland learned how to embrace joy again after suffering the loss of a child. He shared, “My biggest life challenge has been the death of my youngest son, Brandon, in January, 2004. I think it’s fair to say I have overcome the challenge of that painful event, seeing that I lead a fulfilling life and have recaptured joy—something that initially seemed impossible. I still miss Brandon’s physical presence, and occasionally shed tears at unexpected times, yet I’m usually able to keep my focus on happy memories.” Mark continued, “In terms of my spirituality, I’d say this affected me in […]