{"id":31533,"date":"2025-07-11T09:02:06","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T09:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=31533"},"modified":"2025-07-11T09:23:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T09:23:14","slug":"how-to-stay-close-to-a-late-loved-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=31533","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay Close to a Late Loved One"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><\/div>\n<p id=\"article-summary\" data-testid=\"onsite-summary\" class=\"css-79rysd e1wiw3jv0\">We asked, and over 800 of you answered.<\/p>\n<section class=\"meteredContent css-1r7ky0e\">\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" data-testid=\"companionColumn-0\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">A friend of mine was devastated when his great-aunt died last year. One thing they loved to do together, he told me, was watch \u201cThe Real Housewives of Atlanta.\u201d He continues to tune in \u2014 and maintains running commentary throughout the show.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">It\u2019s as if she\u2019s still sitting next to him, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">We often process death through funerals and casserole drop-offs. So it can feel strange to deviate from culturally accepted rituals of grieving, said Carla Fernandez, author of \u201cRenegade Grief.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But no two people experience grief the same way, said Larry Carlat, a grief counselor and author of \u201cA Space in the Heart: A Survival Guide for Grieving Parents.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cOur grief fits us like a glove,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s shaped by the person we loved and lost.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">A few weeks ago, I asked readers to share the ways they stay close to a late loved one. I received over 800 responses, and I read every single one. Some of the many that inspired me are below, edited for clarity and length.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"Dropzone-1\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" data-testid=\"companionColumn-1\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">I hope they help normalize all the forms grief can take.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u2b25<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">Dad was a fan of Hostess orange cupcakes<\/strong>. Now they are \u201cdad cupcakes,\u201d and finding them at any gas station or bodega is an immediate comfort to me. Though I\u2019m eating fewer now than when he passed, they always do the trick. <em class=\"css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0\">\u2014 Sarah Luciano, Highland, N.Y.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u2b25<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">My beloved grandmother was a very loud sneezer<\/strong>. Whenever I sneeze, I\u2019m happy when it\u2019s loud, because I\u2019m reminded of her. <em class=\"css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0\">\u2014 Terri Foland, Half Moon Bay, Calif.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"css-kbghgg\">\n<div class=\"css-121kum4\">\n<div class=\"css-171quhb\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"css-asuuk5\">\n<div class=\"css-7axq9l\" data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-noscript\">\n<div data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-noscript-message\" class=\"css-6yo1no\">\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\" data-tpl=\"t\">We are having trouble retrieving the article content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\" data-tpl=\"t\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1dv1kvn\" id=\"optimistic-truncator-a11y\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&amp;client_id=vi&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F07%2F11%2Fwell%2Fgrief-grieving-rituals.html&amp;asset=opttrunc\">log into<\/a>\u00a0your Times account, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F07%2F11%2Fwell%2Fgrief-grieving-rituals.html\">subscribe<\/a>\u00a0for all of The Times.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1g71tqy\">\n<div data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-message\" class=\"css-6yo1no\">\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\" data-tpl=\"t\">Thank you for your patience while we verify access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\" data-tpl=\"t\">Already a subscriber?\u00a0<a data-testid=\"log-in-link\" class=\"css-z5ryv4\" href=\"https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&amp;client_id=vi&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F07%2F11%2Fwell%2Fgrief-grieving-rituals.html&amp;asset=opttrunc\">Log in<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\" data-tpl=\"t\">Want all of The Times?\u00a0<a data-testid=\"subscribe-link\" class=\"css-z5ryv4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F07%2F11%2Fwell%2Fgrief-grieving-rituals.html\">Subscribe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We asked, and over 800 of you answered.A friend of mine was devastated when his great-aunt died last year. One thing they loved to do together, he told me, was watch \u201cThe Real Housewives of Atlanta.\u201d He continues to tune in \u2014 and maintains running commentary throughout the show.It\u2019s as if she\u2019s still sitting next to him, he said.We often process death through funerals and casserole drop-offs. So it can feel strange to deviate from culturally accepted rituals of grieving, said Carla Fernandez, author of \u201cRenegade Grief.\u201dBut no two people experience grief the same way, said Larry Carlat, a grief counselor and author of \u201cA Space in the Heart: A Survival Guide for Grieving Parents.\u201d\u201cOur grief fits us like a glove,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s shaped by the person we loved and lost.\u201dA few weeks ago, I asked readers to share the ways they stay close to a late loved one. I received over 800 responses, and I read every single one. Some of the many that inspired me are below, edited for clarity and length.I hope they help normalize all the forms grief can take.\u2b25Dad was a fan of Hostess orange cupcakes. Now they are \u201cdad cupcakes,\u201d and finding them at any gas station or bodega is an immediate comfort to me. Though I\u2019m eating fewer now than when he passed, they always do the trick. \u2014 Sarah Luciano, Highland, N.Y.\u2b25My beloved grandmother was a very loud sneezer. Whenever I sneeze, I\u2019m happy when it\u2019s loud, because I\u2019m reminded of her. \u2014 Terri Foland, Half Moon Bay, Calif.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and\u00a0log into\u00a0your Times account, or\u00a0subscribe\u00a0for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?\u00a0Log in.Want all of The Times?\u00a0Subscribe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31535,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31533"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31536,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31533\/revisions\/31536"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}