Coping with loss
So on Saturday my son-in-law, the husband of my stepdaughter, was killed in action in Afghanistan. He was on patrol with four other men in his unit and they hit a roadside bomb. Everyone in the vehicle was killed.
My stepdaughter is 24. Their daughter just turned 4 years old.
My stepdaughter is on her way to claim her husband's body. She still hasn't found a way to tell their daughter. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, we'll be leaving later in the week for the funeral.
What is foremost in my mind in this moment is regret that I didn't know him better. He was often deployed or on maneuvers during their marriage and they lived very far away so we didn't spend much time with them. I wish I had made spending time with them a higher priority in my life. I wish I had worked harder on developing those relationships.
All of our effort now will be supporting my stepdaughter and granddaughter and helping them go through this horrible change.
My stepdaughter is 24. Their daughter just turned 4 years old.
My stepdaughter is on her way to claim her husband's body. She still hasn't found a way to tell their daughter. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, we'll be leaving later in the week for the funeral.
What is foremost in my mind in this moment is regret that I didn't know him better. He was often deployed or on maneuvers during their marriage and they lived very far away so we didn't spend much time with them. I wish I had made spending time with them a higher priority in my life. I wish I had worked harder on developing those relationships.
All of our effort now will be supporting my stepdaughter and granddaughter and helping them go through this horrible change.