Let’s talk about grief
with Real People
Answers from Kirsty M.
Learning to live with losing her Father.
Who did you lose?
Father
How old were they?
51
How old were you?
21
How long have you been grieving?
Almost 5 years
What's your fondest memory of the person you lost?
I used to come downstairs to say goodnight and we would end up sitting there chatting for hours about anything and everything… it was so great. I'd end up saying "Dad, I need to go to bed!!" I miss that.
What emotions did you feel within your first year of grief?
I was incredibly angry at the world for a long time, and at times I felt happy while I was hanging out with friends then felt guilty for carrying on.
How do you prefer people to comfort/mention it?
I like people to say "I'm sorry for your loss" and then carry on as normal, I love to talk about them and keep their memory alive, I'd like people to ask me how I'm coping and what I need
Have you had any type of therapy for your grief?
Yes, it really helped.
I had grief counselling and it felt good at the time, it really helped me get to a stage of awareness that I needed at the time. It was 6 months after he passed.
Kirsty’s message to anyone struggling with grief
It helps to think about the person you’ve lost and what they might say in different situations. It keeps their memory alive and it then feels like they’re always with you.
I like to think about what my dad would say in situations, sometimes it makes me laugh or smile because he might not approve or he might have had a funny response.