Ok...Deadman...you here? Where were we...

chapter 1 - when he died

Dont forget as you write you need to explain how you felt as you seen him gettig worse and what hope you coped with it, The goal should be to help other parents deal with the loss as good as you have.

Well...mine was an instant surprise. I didn't know anything was going on. He didn't tell us that his short-lived (3 month) marriage was going down the tubes because she was having an affair. The day he shot himself, she told him that she was leaving him. He was in another city at weekend Guard duty.

I had no clue about any of it until after he died. It goes back to that mantra that I keep hammering to people here about TELLING YOUR PARENTS what is going on even if it is embarrassing, uncomfortable, and so on.

I got a knock on my door (his dad) and that's how I found out. Sunday morning, Sept 11, 1994 at 6:17 am

Wow, Well then you need to start with what you learned after words to give a little back story that way it more consecitive.

yep, that makes sense. start with what happened that day and then talk about my journey from there?

Yo will need to tell them what you found out and what them can do to try to make it easier for them to learn what they need to get passed a horrible ordeal. The death of a child is horrible but if you never find out why it makes it even worse.

Changes in the way you think about life and death

good, good...you have me thinking. thanks.