Death and Grief During a Pandemic

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.

Jean – It’s all about love

Jean talks about losing her husband to a heart attack on valentines day

Laura- Loss to Suicide

Beauty found at the edges: a portrait of community support

I’d sent a text saying “Hello friends, I’m putting out a call for flowers. I went to public school with Kory, the young man who died in downtown Cobourg this week, and though I hadn’t seen him in recent years, I feel the loss of him on a community level, as I imagine you do, too. Some of Kory’s people are gathering tonight in vigil at the bank where he died, and I’m gathering flowers from those of us who have gardens to share with this grieving community. Do you have some blooms in your garden that you’d be willing to share?”

Jean – What grief feels like physically

Jean discusses the physical effects she has experienced in grief

Lynda – “It’s complicated during a pandemic”

Lynda talks about how things are so much more complicated in these times

Karyn and Aidan – Support.

Karyn and Aidan discuss how much the support they received helped

Zoreena – Ask for help

Zoreena explains how important it is to ask for help

Kim – Checking in is very important

Kim explains why it is so important to check in and keep in touch with people who have lost

Michele – My Story

MIchele talks about her multiple losses starting from when she was very young

Maureen – “Not being able to be with your loved one”

Maureen discusses ideas of how you can honour a loved now until it is safe to come together.

Christian – COVID amplified the inequities in society

Christian talks about those that have very little and how COVID amplified their difficulties