Siblings have a unique relationship with one another. They often are the witnesses of important milestones in their growth and development. They can be confidants, protectors, and partners amid life’s challenges. When a sibling dies, surviving siblings’ lives are forever changed. Siblings feel the pressure of the loss in many ways. Siblings may feel pressure to take care of their parents, to be strong for others in the family, or to fill the void left by their sibling. They often feel that a piece of them died when their sibling died.
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Bereaved siblings are often referred to as “the forgotten mourners.” While parents usually receive most of the support of relatives and friends, siblings generally receive little—often being asked “How are your parents doing?” The Compassionate Friends is an organization that is not just for bereaved parents. It’s also for bereaved siblings (and grandparents). Some chapters have sibling subgroups (which welcome siblings age 14 and up) while adult siblings are welcome at all TCF Chapter meetings.
Also, we invite you to contact our National Office at 877-969-0010 and request a customized grief resources assembled just for you. We will also be happy to give you a referral to your nearest TCF chapter so you can attend when you feel ready.
Siblings Walking TogetherWe are the surviving siblings of The Compassionate Friends.
We are brought together by the deaths of our brothers and sisters.
Open your hearts to us, but have patience with us.
Sometimes we will need the support of our friends.
At other times we need our families to be there.
Sometimes we must walk alone, taking our memories with us,
continuing to become the individuals we want to be.
We cannot be our dead brother or sister;
however, a special part of them lives on with us.
When our brothers and sisters died, our lives changed.
We are living a life very different from what we envisioned,
and we feel the responsibility to be strong even when we feel weak.
Yet we can go on because we understand better than many others
the value of family and the precious gift of life.
Our goal is not to be the forgotten mourners that we sometimes are, but to walk together to face our tomorrows as surviving siblings of The Compassionate Friends.
Use the chapter locator to find out information about chapters in your area. Locate a Chapter by selecting your state and zip code.
