What if I hardly knew the person?

You don't have to be a person's best friend to feel the pain of grief when he or she dies. Even if you just knew about the person, you may feel pain.

You may be reminded of other losses you experienced earlier in your life. You may be frightened by the realization that if this person died, you could die, too. You may have liked or admired the person even though you didn't know him or her well.

Will I lose other friends, too? >



Excerpted from 'When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving & Healing' by Marilyn E. Gootman, Ed.D., 1994. Used with permission from Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 1-800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved. To order a copy of this book and other Free Spirit titles call 1-800-735-7323.