Death of a Parent

Bryan – Trauma

Bryan discusses trauma anxiety, support and the loss of his father to gun violence

Learning from Grief

Grief is weird. Odd start, I know, but that was the sentence I used a lot whenever someone asked me how I was. It was never a constant feeling; it changed day to day. And still does. It’s the full gambit of emotions from sadness to anger to guilt and, though dark, even humour found its way in.

Rebecca – Humour and grief

Rebecca talks about how she and her father used humour as a strategy during his illness and after he died

Keeping Records

I pulled the photos out of their envelope one at a time, turning over each one to carefully record the date, place, and people in the photo. Sometimes, I included comments. “Apple picking in Hamilton with Pop Pop, Fall, 2023. You loved the wagon ride!”. I slipped each picture into an empty pocket in my son’s photo album.

Zoreena – Support systems

Zoreena explains the importance of support systems

Karyn and Aidan – Coping with the COVID restrictions

Karyn and Aidan talk about how they dealt with not being able to visit John in hospital

Scott – The grieving process

Scott talks about how his song ‘The Good Man James” was about his father, their relationship and how it helped him process their relationship. Find the song at his website www.dotbmusic.ca

Karyn and Aidan – Support from others

Karyn and Aidan discuss how family, friends, and people they didn’t know in the community supported them.Talking, meals, dog walking are among the things that made a huge difference.

Matt – My Story

Matt tells how he found his birth mother and then lost her.