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• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Telling others, and other people’s reactions >> Telling others, and other people’s reactions

Telling others, and other people’s reactions

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• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a child >> Pat - Interview 05 >> Pat was devastated when two policemen arrived at her house and told her that her son, Matthew, had been involved in an accident and had died. She coul

In 2007 Pat’s son, Matthew, was killed when his motorbike hit a car that was turning right. The coroner concluded that it had been an accident. Pat was devastated. She has found support from family, friends, and through Cruse Bereavement Care.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a husband, wife or partner >> Martin - Interview 10 >> Martin had to tell his five year old daughter that her mother had died in an accident. She cried but took a few weeks to really understand that her mo

Martin’s wife had a part time job as a lollypop lady. When she was standing on the pavement, she was hit by a bus, and died instantly. Martin was shocked. He is bringing up two children, which is a heavy responsibility. Counselling has helped him.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a parent >> Sally - Interview 14 >> Although she has four siblings Sally felt it was her responsibility to phone everyone about her mother’s death. It was exhausting to explain so many t

Sally’s mother died in 2007. Her flat caught fire, probably due to a cigarette which had not been put out. Her mother may have been a bit drowsy due to an overdose of pain killers, which may have led to the accident. Sally and her family were devastated.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a child >> Dolores - Interview 34 >> Dolores realised that people reacted very differently to the terrible news about her son’s death. She decided not to judge them by their initial react

In September 2006 Dolores son, Tom, was fatally wounded. He was stabbed by a man who had schizophrenia. Dolores was in shock for at least a couple of months. Cranial therapy and meditation helped, but Dolores still feels very sad and depressed at times.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a child >> Godfrey - Interview 39 >> Godfrey wanted to talk about his awful loss but some of his best friends and colleagues found it difficult to talk to him about Adrian and what had ha

In 1995 Godfrey’s son was fatally injured as he tried to board a train. Godfrey was denied information about exactly what had happened. The jury at the inquest decided it was an accident. It was an awful tragedy but Godfrey still has a positive attitude.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a child >> David - Interview 31 >> Sometimes David wanted to talk about his son with friends, family and work colleagues. At other times he wanted to be alone with his wife to grieve in

In 1992, David’s son, Simon, was stabbed to death near to his home. He was 17 years old. Simon’s death had a huge effect on the family. David and his wife supported each other. They are now members of Support after Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM).

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to traumatic death >> Lost a child >> Rosemary - Interview 25 >> When Rosemary told people about her son’s death she sometimes found she was consoling them or hearing about their bad experiences. She finds it hard t

Rosemary’s son, James, was killed in the 7th July bomb attack in London in 2005. The family was devastated. Rosemary found help via family, friends, and colleagues, and through a vicar and a psychotherapist, and by creating wonderful memorials for her son.