Story and Testimonial Column: Sibling Grief Support
Siblings with a Mission serves individuals who have lost their sibling. Through articles posted on our website, we provide support and stories to siblings of all ages and backgrounds. We also connect siblings to other members through monitored video conversations, sibling workshops, and Connections.
We strongly encourage siblings and families to share their story. The more stories we collect, the more support we can provide to other siblings who are going through similar experiences. If you would like to share your story, please follow one of the steps below:
1. Send us an email or contact us on Facebook. You can also contact us here
2. Tell a support group leader through email or during a video session
Below are stories and testimonials from members. We hope these stories are resourceful!
Siblings with a Mission serves individuals who have lost their sibling. Through articles posted on our website, we provide support and stories to siblings of all ages and backgrounds. We also connect siblings to other members through monitored video conversations, sibling workshops, and Connections.
We strongly encourage siblings and families to share their story. The more stories we collect, the more support we can provide to other siblings who are going through similar experiences. If you would like to share your story, please follow one of the steps below:
1. Send us an email or contact us on Facebook. You can also contact us here
2. Tell a support group leader through email or during a video session
Below are stories and testimonials from members. We hope these stories are resourceful!
Story Column:
|
"They Said," by Sarah Gniazdowski
Have you lost a sibling or friend? Do you ever wonder how your sibling would be today? Would he or she graduate high school? Get married? Live happily? These are the questions Sarah contemplates. Read Sarah's heartwarming and inspiring story about her brother, Danny, here. This is a must read!! You will get chills and may even cry reading this story. "Remembering the Day My Whole World Changed," by Perri Bryan "Everyone was changed in someway that day. My brother had such a large influence on everyone’s life." On September 17, 2007, Perri's brother, Ray, passed away. In her heart-warming story, Perri describes her last few moments with her brother. Read Perri's story here. "The Christmas Mornings We Remember" by Chelsey Klenke It is hard to spend the holidays without your brother and sister. In her story, Chelsey explains how important it is to appreciate what you have. As Chelsey says, "This Christmas morning we will sit around the tree and look back on all of the memories we have with my brother and wish that we had to wait on him to wake up to open presents." Read Chelsey's beautiful and heart-warming story here. "My Advice to Siblings and Other Family Members Who Are Mourning During the Holiday Season," by Avery Piefer What is it like spending the holidays without your brother or sister? It can be a sad time, but it can also be a time to remember all of the fun and meaningful memories with your friends and family. As Avery explains in her story, "Don't leave yourself miserable over the holidays. That's not what your loved one wants, and that's definitely not something that you want. Go ahead, mourn the loss of that loved one, but do it in a positive way. You have millions of great memories to relive. Cherish them." Read Avery's beautiful and inspiring story here. "Life Changes," by Mike Wier Life changes after you lose a loved one. In his story, Mike explains how he has learned to cope with his feelings. As Mike describes, "To look at where I am now, I am no longer how I used to be. I am honest with myself. If I am sad I will allow myself to be sad. I am no longer in constant pain or worry." By sharing his story, Mike hopes to show other siblings and families that they are not alone. There are people who understand. Read Mike's wonderful story here. "Funny Moments with Frank," By Mike Wier There are some moments in life that are small yet bring us a lot of happiness and joy. These “little moments” of joy and love that we share with our family and friends allow us to cherish our memories forever. In this beautiful story, Mike shares the little unforgettable moments that he has had with his brother, Frank. As Mike says, "Frank would have the biggest smile on his face that I’ve ever seen anyone able to conjure. His face was the face of pure joy and happiness. If you saw this happening you would have to smile and laugh too, there was no way around it. There was such joy and happiness in his heart, despite the hardships he went through; he put smiles on all of our faces." Mike's story offers a perspective on the “little moments” of life that will leave you in tears and in awe. Read Mike’s amazing story here. "Advice on Dealing with Anniversaries and Their Death Period," By Perri Bryan Elliott It can be extremely hard when a sibling passes away. As Perri says, "This article is about how I personally deal with anniversaries and with losing my brother in general. I wanted to share this information because losing a loved one is difficult. I don't want anyone to ever feel like they are alone in feeling how they are feeling. So, I wanted people to see the different things that I do during hard times to make this time a little easier." Read Perri's story here. "Our Last Days," A Script by Perri Bryan Elliott It can be extremely difficult to lose a sibling. While no one should have to experience this, many siblings do. This script offers an illuminating and insightful depiction of what it is like to experience grief through a sibling's perspective. From sorrow to disappointment, the journey of grief and understanding can be a challenging one. This story portrays a broad range of emotions and it may be difficult to read for some. However, this script is one of few which explains the love and grief from a sibling's point of view. Read Perri's beautiful script here. "Danny's Legacy," by Sarah Gniazdowski When Sarah’s brother Danny passed away, Sarah vowed to live a life in honor of the life her brother did not have the chance to live. It took a long time, however, for Sarah to realize that she did “not have the duty of carrying on Danny’s legacy, for he, himself, carries it on daily.” As Sarah explains, “From somewhere over the rainbow, Danny continues to change lives. Sure, I do my part in spreading awareness and telling Danny’s story, but it is Danny’s impact on others and on me that inspires people.” Sarah’s story shows how one person can impact the world. Sarah calls on all family members to realize the importance of telling their loved one’s story. Read Sarah’s beautiful story here. "Ideas for Honoring Your Sibling"
By Sarah Gniazdowski Need suggestions for how to honor the life of your sibling or loved one? In this piece, Sarah provides fun and creative ideas, along with some of her own personal and uplifting stories. From going out to your sibling's favorite restaurant to planting a tree in memory of your sibling, there are many wonderful ideas to remember, honor, and celebrate your siblings. Read Sarah's story here. "7 Life Lessons You Learn When Your Sibling Has a Developmental Disability," By Andrea Poteet-Bell Growing up with a sibling with a developmental disability can significantly influence one's life. While there are challenges, there are also many positives that can impact one's life for the better. In this article, Andrea Poteet-Bell describes 7 life lessons that can come from having a sibling with a developmental disability. As Andrea explains, "We are our sibling’s fiercest protector, biggest cheerleader, strongest advocate, and forever best friend. Now isn’t that the definition of a hero?" Read this beautiful and moving story here. |
|
Siblings with a Mission is an international organization established to serve and support siblings of individuals with special needs. All images are found on Google images and are solely used for education purposes. The stories and advice provided by Siblings with a Mission are not to be replaced by professional advice and counseling but to be considered as an additional source of support.
