Father’s Day is one of the many days that the loss of a child feels even more profound. Although as bereaved parents are keenly aware, a child’s absence is felt every day.
There isn’t a day that goes by that we do not think about our absent child. Regardless of the circumstance of their deaths, we miss them deeply.
In this podcast father, Rob Delaney, talks about losing his son Henry and his ensuing grief. Like so many other bereaved parents he knows that there’s no getting over the loss of a child, it’s just a case of feeling the full force of the pain and getting through it:
“I think it’s really important to acknowledge it’s going to be a real nightmare for a good long while, and you’re going to cry, and you’ll probably puke sometimes. And I know that’s not the sun will come out and everything’s going to be fine.”
And what has worked for Rob has been speaking to other bereaved parents:
“The most helpful thing for me has been other bereaved parents. Because when you come together, more useful than any of the words that anyone said to me would be if I saw a parent whose child had been dead longer than mine had, and I saw that they were able to tie their shoes. Was their shirt tucked in? Basic functions– just watching them pick grapes off of a stem and eat them. And I thought if they can do that, then I’ll be able to do that one day, hopefully.”
Be kind to yourself on Father’s Day and if you need support the SLOW support groups are open to all that have lost a child and parents can come at any time after the death of their child. For times and dates of forthcoming SLOW support groups link here.
