Sibling Loss

‘Was She Sick?’

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Depression killed my innately joyful sister. When people ask how she died, this is how I respond.

Animal Husbandry for Dragons

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What if we try caring for our pain, instead of trying to control it?

On Teaching Writing Through Grief

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I teach others how to tell their saddest stories. But when it came to my own brother’s loss, the words wouldn’t come — until they did.

Having a Dead Sibling Is Full of Contradictions

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It’s been a decade since my brother died. His death has shaped me and it has confounded me — with its curses and blessings, too.

A Day in the Life of My Grief — Illustrated

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In which I wonder, 'How can all 19 Duggars be alive and I lost my only sister?'

His Sister Was Dying as We Were Falling in Love

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I learned of her illness shortly after our first date. Her absence remains a presence still.

My Brother’s Christmas-Themed Funeral

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Alan lived with a rare genetic disorder that made him unpredictable, child-like and full of wonder. When he died at age 43, his memorial service was unique as he was.

The Good China That Will Outlive Us All

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After my mom’s death and my sister’s suicide, the dishes they left behind are newly sentimental.

What I Still Can’t Do

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Ten months after my sister’s death, I can laugh and smile. I can sometimes care about other people’s problems. I can’t listen to voicemails or write thank you notes or stop waiting for the other shoe to drop.

ASK MODERN LOSS: Do My Kids Need a New Male Role Model?

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A single mom by choice asks our advice columnist what to do now that her brother and father are gone.

My Instagram Therapy

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With @textsforjohn, I can still walk through the world looking for things to share with my brother — even though he’s no longer here.

Bereavement Group Dropout

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Around a table full of widow-baked cookies, I absorbed the most profound of all death clichés, and I was done.

It’s Katie Fisher Day!

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Starting a cookie-baking social media memorial holiday would have been a strange move for anyone, but perhaps stranger for me than most.

Ilana and Aaron are celebrating 9 years of friendship on Facebook!

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Thing is, Aaron is dead.

The Stoic’s Guide to the Holidays

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An emotional clam wishes he could take his own advice for enduring the festivities with loss.

Life’s Too Short to Wear Beige

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I was a closeted gay woman surrounded by white-hued walls and yearning for my own colorful world. My sister's death changed everything.

The Best Things in My Life Came From My Brother’s Death

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The best things in my life really did come out of my brother's death.

Riding and Hiding in My Griefmobile

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No matter how intense my feelings, my car always comes to the rescue, with available music, clean tissues, and much-needed privacy.

My Sister, The Fly

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The most persistent house fly entered my world the same day my sister left it. But what I didn’t realize was that my sister hadn’t actually left.

Take a Breather

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And 4 other grief therapist-approved tips for surviving Christmas after a loss.

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