Page 10 - 2016 Spring-Summer Issue
P. 10
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What Does Your Story Look Like?
Here are four unique stories of grief, pain, tears and and congratulate The Compassionate Friends in creating
discrimination. What does your story look and sound like? the Diversity Commission that will educate our grief
Nivia’s story: Before 1993, I did not know the pain of losing community on this very important issue which, in turn, will
someone dear and very close to my heart. But then, my also help us grow and become a part of our new selves.
son José Francisco “Yoito” Barreto died in an
automobile accident on June 6, 1993. What Jacquie’s story: From the moment our sons
pain, what disbelief, what a difficult road to Kareem and Kevin died, TCF entered our
travel, completely unbeknownst to me! Many lives. One of the nurses on duty in the
messages of condolence were given to me emergency department was a bereaved
and my family, but there were others that parent. She handed me a book and said when
hurt so deeply and were so confusing that you get home please read this book because
I could not appreciate or understand them. “he is going to need this,” referring to my
Even in this life-altering experience, I was husband, John.
confronted with diversity of religious beliefs Our journey started on the day we buried
that came into contrast with mine and were our boys; we attended our first TCF meeting.
much less respectful of mine: “If she was The next day, as we returned from the
religious she would not be crying over her son´s death” first of many visits to the cemetery, I was
was an example of this lack of respect. This statement informed by relatives that a woman had come by to bring
will never leave my mind, both as a sad expression and us some books on bereavement and the organization, The
as a learned lesson. People need to be in others’ shoes to Compassionate Friends. It turns out she was a parent from
understand, acknowledge and respect diversity. I applaud the Manhattan chapter whom my mother had contacted
about the meeting, and she just felt she needed to come to
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