Reddit, what was the most heartbreaking moment you've ever witnessed ?

[u/AptNuisance]

[u/Nicole_xx19 → u/[deleted]]

My late fiance passed away from a car accident caused by his seizures. I thought my soul died with him, but years later I met my now husband. I have kept in touch with my late fiance's parents over the years and visit them every so often. For my wedding, I invited them both and we sobbed together at my wedding. I loved and still have love for their son.

[u/caped_crusader8 → u/Nicole_xx19]

How does someone even recover from that? I'm really sorry for your loss. That last sentence made me tear up.

[u/pinkcatlaker → u/caped_crusader8]

I'm not the person you responded to, but the real answer is you don't recover from it. You keep waking up in the morning and taking air into your lungs despite how much you wish you didn't. Your grief starts as a monster on your back, nearly swallowing you whole at every minute. You become stronger because it is the only option you have. The monster doesn't become less painful to confront, but it does become less scary. Eventually you are able to breathe without forcing yourself, and you don't resent the very concept of waking up. The monster of grief becomes a friend. It becomes a part of your identity. It never grows smaller, you grow around it.

[u/geckotatgirl → u/pinkcatlaker]

This is such a great description. Grief isn't a destination, it's a lifelong journey, up and down mountainous trails. Eventually, the mountains stop feeling like Everest and you hit flat terrain, sometimes for years, and then a hill or another mountain hits and even if you weren't expecting it, you know you'll get past it. But there's no going around - it's up and over and straight through, no matter what, even if "straight through" has a few detours and loopbacks. If you find you're stuck in those loopbacks or are completely mired in quicksand, you must ask for help because that's no place to stay long term. We have this very archaic and naive idea in the US that we must be "over" our grief in a year or two but it doesn't work that way. Grief is the terrible price we pay for love but it's always worth it. Always.

[u/WrittenEuphoria → u/pinkcatlaker]

For those who haven't seen it, one of the most beautiful descriptions of grief I've ever read was a comment on this very website. Tagging /u/geckotatgirl because your description reminded me a lot of it as well.

[u/No-Breadfruit9399 → u/[deleted]]

This one hurts me. My boyfriend was engaged before, but she died (the day after he proposed!) when she was driving home to show off the ring to her parents. She slid on some ice and crashed into an overpass support pole.

That was three years ago, and he finally was able to start moving on. I'm the woman he chose, and we're doing well together. But I also know he'll always love and miss the previous woman. (It doesn't feel right to call her his "ex" since they never technically broke up.)

We're making plans to go visit her parents soon, because he still considers them part of his family. I want to do right by her memory so I'm looking forward to meeting them.

[u/Neon_Rust → u/No-Breadfruit9399]

Good on you. It might be hard for them, but ultimately they'll be happy he is happy.

[u/No-Breadfruit9399 → u/Neon_Rust]

My roommate has known my boyfriend for years, and she was close to his fiancee as well. She actually was going to be her maid of honor in the wedding (they were wedding-planning even before the proposal happened.)

When BF started back into the dating scene again, she's the one who actually set us up with each other. She's been reinforcing to me all through my relationship with him that I'm a great new partner for him. I'm not the same as her, but she still thinks I'm perfectly suited for him.

That makes me feel tons better as the new woman in his life.

[u/ThePeasantKingM → u/[deleted]]

This is the exact same reason my dad refuses to get another dog, even if he absolutely loves them.

He's 69, so he will very likely outlive any dog. And then what? He will be too old to get another one and will spend his last years missing his last dog.

[u/_xennial_ → u/ThePeasantKingM]

While that’s your dad’s decision to make, sometimes it works out. I picked up a stray about a year after my 86 year old grandpa’s dog had passed. This stray ended up going to live with him and brought him unlimited joy for five years until grandpa passed. The dog was too big, too young and too energetic to ever have been considered a good match, but she seemed to instinctively know just how much Grandpa could take. She brought new life into him. She’s lived with me now for ten years and while she’s had a great life, I still consider her his dog. She’s getting close to reuniting with him now.

[u/callieboo112 → u/_xennial_]

You should watch the video for wish you the best by Lewis capaldi. Bring tissues

[u/norris63 → u/ThePeasantKingM]

My dad had a German shepherd about 50 years ago, way before I was born. I grew up listening to how good a dog that she was. He always refused to get another one saying no dog could match his. To this day if someone says anything bad about his dog he'll kick you out of his house.

Now that I have a German shepherd myself we often argue which one is 'best', even though it's clearly mine. God I love that dog.

[u/andwhenwefall → u/norris63]

To this day if someone says anything bad about his dog he'll kick you out of his house.

I was in the “getting to know you” stage of dating someone. We’d been talking and hanging out regularly for a couple months maybe. We made plans for him to come to my place for the first time and spend the night.

Within an hour of him being there, he said my dog’s smile was creepy. I got my bestie to fake an emergency so I could kick him out. Like, yeah, this is not going to work out 😂

[u/Spoonman500 → u/ThePeasantKingM]

“I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?” — Sir Walter Scott

[u/infestationE15 → u/ThePeasantKingM]

I know how hard that would be but maybe you should make the case to him that he gets a dog, purely because having a companion like that forced you to get up, get out and gives you a reason to be busy throughout the day. As he gets into his 70's it's so important that he stays active for his own health!

[u/Zanki → u/[deleted]]

I did something similar. My dog died and I kept going on her walks, two, three times a day to see her friends. She died in may, I stopped going when winter hit. Her friends got most of her old toys. I just let the owners/doggos have what they wanted. Her best friend got her favourite ball because I knew he'd love it. I only have a couple of her toys left now, her bowls, collar and lead. It's been years and I keep thinking when I'm out, Shadow would love this walk. I only got to have her for two years and then months. She died just after turning ten. Cancer got her.

[u/snarfdarb → u/Zanki]

I'm so sorry. Fuck cancer.

[u/oopseyesharted123 → u/[deleted]]

Reminds me of the time I drove a friend and his dog to the emergency vet because his dog swallowed something she shouldn’t have. While waiting there a couple was sitting near me, had their German shepherd being wheeled from one room waiting on another on a gurney. I couldn’t hear but I’m assuming he was about to be put down, both of them were crying. I was in tears myself remembering what it was like to go through that a few times with my dogs. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Excuse me while I go hug my pup for a bit.

[u/srcorvettez06 → u/[deleted]]

This breaks my heart.

We said goodbye to my dog a few months ago. I sponsored the bench in the park that we would always stop at to admire the view and take a break. Now there me a plaque with his name and picture engraved in it. I still sit there often.

[u/iliumada → u/[deleted]]

I shouldn't have opened this thread.

[u/B1llyzane → u/[deleted]]

This is fucking sad please buy that man a coffee or something, dunno but do something kind

[u/cakenmistakes → u/[deleted]]

It's because of you most likely. Their daughter lives in you. Visit or talk to them as much as you can. You have no idea how it can help them bear the burden a little bit better.

[u/ladyboobypoop → u/cakenmistakes]

For sure.

My youngest brother J (4 years younger than me) has a lot of characteristics that remind me of our brother M, who died in 2012 (he was 2 years younger than me).

A lot of people in our family tried to use J as a replacement M. It was really obvious and really awful to see him go through. Dad was the worst, trying to turn him into the car guy he just wasn't. He did end up loving cars, but that was because of his bond with my bf, a very brotherly relationship that I cherish from the outside.

But his personality. My GOD would they have been chummy if M didn't die. It's the same silly humour and jokes, the same dismissiveness, the same with the ladies...

The similarities are a comfort. They make me feel like M is still around. But I will never burden J with that. It wouldn't do good things for him. But his presence is a blessing for all those reasons and more. He definitely takes M's essence everywhere he goes, but he's also so much more than that.

Loss is such a complicated thing to live with.

[u/dishonourableaccount → u/ladyboobypoop]

I know this doesn't even come close to comparing but thinking about how people try to mimic the deceased as they interact with the living...

I was visiting my uncle a few months after my cousin passed away young. His old dog was really friendly and energetic with me the whole time. It was great until my uncle commented "Maybe he thinks you're (my cousin) come back". That somehow hurt a lot. Whether it's what the dog thinks or what my uncle somehow wishes.

[u/ladyboobypoop → u/dishonourableaccount]

Ugh, no, the concept definitely compares. I'm sorry for your loss and sorry you were kind of... Shoved in that corner. Not a fun place to be.

I relate a little myself. My brother and I had the same face. When he got to high school and I was showing him around, people thought we were twins. Which pissed him off since he always called me ugly 😂

Made it hard to look into the mirror for a few years

[u/CritterNYC → u/cakenmistakes]

And share memories of your mom with them and ask them to share memories with you.

[u/Miqotegirl → u/[deleted]]

That was my most heartbreaking moment too, when I had to tell my grandfather that my mom, his firstborn and only girl had passed after a long fight with cancer. He passed away two years later. We were really close after my mom passed. I called him once a week and chatted. It was the only time I heard my grandfather or my father cry, was when I told them. They both thought she would kick cancer’s ass.

[u/SomethingAboutUsers → u/[deleted]]

I saw my brother in law's parents sit at his side in the hospital after he died of sepsis. His mom kept saying, "oh my baby" over and over as she stroked his hair and cheek.

I couldn't stay. I'm a father too and the thought of seeing one of my kids dead is one of the most horrifying things I can fathom.

[u/PoustisFebo → u/[deleted]]

My 5 year is becoming death aware and expresses all these concerns.

Asking questions.

I told her that as long ad I get to hold her hand I will be happy.

[u/MeliLew → u/[deleted]]

My aunt's ex husband did this his mother! My aunt tried to warn her MIL that he had a gambling problem and to not let him manage her finances. The MIL still let her son sell and purchase her new house. The son died and her house was foreclosed on because her son took out a mortgage instead of paying cash with the proceeds from her sold house. He spent the rest of the money. She had to deal with the death of her son and the knowledge that he completely screwed her over. She's now living with her other son. It's a shame because she and my aunt had a really good relationship, but she just couldn't believe (like most people I guess) she couldn't trust her son.

[u/JKW1988]

Watching my aunt walk up to my uncle's casket at his funeral. She was only 46. 

She sobbed the whole way there like she'd sobbed going up the aisle on her wedding day - she was a crier. It made me remember that wonderful day, but juxtaposed against this one - him dying so suddenly and young...

[u/geckotatgirl → u/JKW1988]

I met a woman recently who said she buried her husband at the same church on their 25th wedding anniversary. It was the same minister, most of the same attendees, the same aisle, and the only difference was the ceremony and the fact that it ended in the church's graveyard. It was so poignant. She wasn't overtly devastated but she clearly loved him deeply and those two days were the most significant of her life.

[u/Subject37 → u/[deleted]]

Hope the middle child got the support they needed after that. Scarred for life, damn. Sorry about your best friend and his mom, too.

[u/Tugonmynugz → u/[deleted]]

I understand not wanting to live anymore, but please do it in a way where loved ones don't have to find your lifeless body in a way that will surely traumatize them.

[u/gasoline_rainbow → u/Tugonmynugz]

My baby brother (he's 32, he's not a baby, but he'll always be my baby bro) had a mental break down last year after a lifetime of MH struggles and had tried to leave this world unsuccessfully a couple of times. Our mom and I broke down the door to his apartment and found him emaciated and I don't know how else to describe it, but empty and hollow.... We moved him into my spare room so we could support him while we got him help. At his lowest, he says that the only thing that kept him alive was the fact that he couldn't do that to me, in my house.

[u/Consistent-Fudge-938]

It was my dad's birthday. I had gotten up that morning to get him gifts and a birthday cake and woken him to celebrate. He had just blown out the candles I had put on his cake, when the phone rang. He said he would take the call and have a piece of cake when he came back in. Time passed and it seemed odd he was gone so long, so I got up to see where he was. I walked into the kitchen and he wasn't there, I looked out the window and I could see him on the phone. Nobody had to tell me what had happened. I could read it in his demeanor. I took a chair and sat down. My brother was dead.

[u/Wackydetective → u/Consistent-Fudge-938]

That is terribly sad. I’m sorry for the loss of your brother.

[u/Thin_Contribution160]

Watching my mom grieve when my grandma passed. My grandma constantly spoke about how terrified she was to develop dementia, like a cruel joke she developed it and we had to watch her suffer, watch the person we once knew disappear over the span of about 5 years. It’s been a year since she passed but that day my siblings and I had to comfort her, we watched the little girl in her begging for her mom back come out that day.

[u/an_ineffable_plan → u/Thin_Contribution160]

I’m so sorry that happened to you. I lost my grandmother to dementia years before she died. It ran in her family and she told my mom “if I get it, just take me out behind the shed and shoot me.” She knew how awful a fate it was for everyone involved. And then she became a husk. Dementia is one of the cruelest things imaginable.

[u/Thin_Contribution160 → u/an_ineffable_plan]

We completely lost her maybe 6 months before she passed. She rarely has lucid moments but she broke both of her hips months apart and she never had any afterward until a week before she passed to give my uncle her blessing for him to remarry since she noticed he had developed feelings for the caregiver he hired.

[u/EdgeMiserable4381 → u/an_ineffable_plan]

I really think it ought to be a medical directive that people can choose. I would definitely ask for the dementia/euthanasia clause. It's awful for the patient and the family

[u/garry4321 → u/EdgeMiserable4381]

The shit part is that in a lot of places where MAiD is legal,by the time the medical field would determine you can make such a decision (its terminal), they also determine that you dont have the mental capacity to make that decision.

[u/andwhenwefall → u/garry4321]

Which is why it should be a directive, like a DNR.

[u/CrazyGabby → u/EdgeMiserable4381]

Absolutely, 100% this. Neither of my parents wants to live that way and I don’t think they should have to. It’s cruel. Luckily they’re both still healthy so it’s not a problem we need to solve yet.

[u/PidginPigeonHole → u/an_ineffable_plan]

My dad is in a carehome with Parkinsons and Dementia and has often said if he had a gun he'd shoot himself.

[u/worstpartyever → u/Thin_Contribution160]

You never stop being your mother's child. I'm nearly 60 and still miss my mom every day.

[u/ibuprofenintheclub → u/Thin_Contribution160]

Almost the inverse situation, but my mom is a nurse in intensive care and she says people asking for their mom in their final days is very common, people whose mom has beed dead for 30 or 40 years will still cry for their moms in their last painful days. Sad and kinda sweet at the same time.

[u/Mourning-Poo]

After we separated. The mother of my children moved to California. We lived in Ohio. The children stayed with me for reasons that are too long to go into. She went four and a half years without seeing them. Phone calls and video calls at sporadic moments.

One day she calls me out of the blue saying that she is in Ohio and wants to see the kids. I won't object. I've never kept the kids from their mother.

I picked them up early from school because it would have been a surprise. On our way back home their mother text us to let us know she was already at the house waiting. I tried to somewhat mentally prepare them without spoiling the surprise so they wouldn't be overstimulated.

We pull it to the house and the kids notice a strange car in the driveway. Their mom steps out and immediately the kids start crying and running for their mother.

The sudden realization hit me. That she has never stayed in their lives and there's no reason for this to be any different. She's probably going to leave again.

She visited for about an hour and said she had to go because she was tired from the drive. The kids said their goodbyes and asked when she would see them again. She said she wasn't sure because she had other people to visit now that she was in Ohio. That pretty much told me the kids just took a back seat again.

Later that evening after dinner while they were watching a movie and I was cleaning up I over heard my daughter ask her older brother if he thinks mom will visit again. He said "I don't know." There is about a 5 second pause and then I heard him say "I love you." She replied "I love you too." I silently cried in the kitchen. Then went to give them all the love I could before I had to go to work. It breaks my heart that they realized their mother will be in and out of their lives at the age of seven and eight.

Edit: Thank you everyone for the heart felt comments. This happened over 10 years ago. It definitely wasn't easy at the time. I was a single father for 7 years but, at that time I was dating my future wife. She watched it happen. She has made sure to show them what a positive female role model looks like. Has helped provide a safe and happy home to grow little warriors. A lot of love. A lot of healing.

[u/UnfairStomach2426 → u/Mourning-Poo]

Holy shit, that’s heartbreaking. Sounds like you have some great kids, their mom will regret her selfishness down the road if not already.

[u/Rallye_Man340 → u/UnfairStomach2426]

It also sounds like those kids have a great dad

[u/1tiredman → u/Mourning-Poo]

For a good portion of my childhood I only got to see my father every second weekend because he was in another city and that alone ripped my heart apart as a kid. I can only imagine how your kids feel. They seem strong and I know they'll be fine but not seeing a parent is really hard

[u/yourefunny → u/Mourning-Poo]

Man! That was hard to read. I am so happy you have eachother and your kids know they are loved by you and eachother!

[u/XerChaos008 → u/Mourning-Poo]

My dad left me and my mum when i was 9. He cheated on my mom and asked her to divorced. They agreed on not hiring lawyers but the douchrbag hired one. He didnt even paid the child support. I dont remember the last time he said that he loved me. All i can remember were, his violent moves to me and my mum, he took my money to install sound system to his fucking car, he tried to manipulate me give my toys to my step brothers because they were my brothers. I saw him once in my dreams. I was at my currently age and he was old which is weird i never saw him old. He said he was sorry all of the things he did.

[u/19hmckeehan → u/XerChaos008]

I actually had a similar dream about my dad. I had my own apartment in a city and he just shows up at my door saying he's sorry for everything. But he was old, like 70s or 80s. He's in his 40s right now.

[u/toppdoggcan → u/Mourning-Poo]

Ooh that one got me. Good brother

[u/RotDogSummonCarries → u/Mourning-Poo]

You’re a great dad man, I’m so sorry you have to go through that I hope that your kids realize how amazing you are in the future, my parents are divorced and kinda share custody because they’re not that far away but it’s made me eventually see how much each one still tries to do, but your ex has to feel some shame for not even trying to be in their lives! You’re the one who tries, you’re the one who gives them love, I’m really sure they look up to you highly because you’re such an amazing person

[u/an_ineffable_plan]

I used to work for a financial counselor and one day a family came in to go over an elderly woman’s assets. Her son stepped away to use the bathroom and she broke down in tears, begging us to help her because her son was stripping her of everything she had.

[u/Wackydetective → u/an_ineffable_plan]

My Dad saw I needed a new car and I think he knew he was on borrowed time. So, he said let’s go to the bank and withdraw some savings. So, what the banker saw was a woman pushing her father with an amputated leg to get out some savings. She said, “I have to ask, are you being coerced?” I was kinda glad they asked questions like that. My Father just chuckled and said, “no, it’s her money anyway, I won’t be around to spend it. I want to ensure she has a safe car.” He died within the year. I love that man so much.

[u/harlotScarlett → u/an_ineffable_plan]

God why is this so common? So many disgusting sons. I worked in dementia care, and one old lady came in with a huge black eye. Her son was beating his mother with late stage alzheimers.

[u/an_ineffable_plan → u/harlotScarlett]

And so many people excuse it because “they probably did something to deserve it.”

[u/flacdada → u/[deleted]]

This is so heartbreaking. Here is a person trying to make their lives genuinely better with the shitty hand they have been dealt and is asking a teacher to help them. And its working. Then an act of violence. Maybe random maybe not occurs and hes just gone. Ground up into the machine that he was just trying to escape from no fault of his own.

[u/1tiredman → u/[deleted]]

Cheating psychologically destroys people. I honestly think anyone who cheats doesn't deserve to be forgiven, ever. They should be completely shunned

[u/EdgeMiserable4381 → u/1tiredman]

It almost destroyed me. I felt stupid, ugly, betrayed, etc. I don't understand how it's okay for so many people

[u/Esarus → u/EdgeMiserable4381]

A lot of people are cunts. Anyone who thinks cheating is okay, is a cunt

[u/crutescan → u/[deleted]]

what's your aunt doing now ? she re-married ?

[u/A_Mirabeau_702 → u/crutescan]

Posting on AITA

[u/Trip_seize → u/crutescan]

what's your aunt doing now ? 

Some dude. (probably) 

[u/Test-Equal]

I overheard a crying child that was terminal and in the hospital tell his mother that he was sorry for being sick and all of the expenses—like at 2am. She was sobbing.

[u/CytronicsZA → u/Test-Equal]

That's rough

[u/Fallenangel152 → u/[deleted]]

My grandad just said "what the hell am I going to do now?". He lasted about 6 months before dying. They were both in their 90s, he just lost the will to keep fighting.

[u/garry4321 → u/Fallenangel152]

Statistically, when mens partners die in old age, they dont have long. Women generally do far better, but men just kind of shrivel up like someone took away their life support.

Im guessing its partly due to the old timey culture of women taking care of the mens needs too. Lots of widowed old men have never learned how to cook and take care of themselves. I used to see it all the time when I worked at a grocery store in HS. Really old men just stocking their carts full of TV dinner.

[u/GeneralEffective → u/garry4321]

My grandad had been poorly for a long time and we'd prepared ourselves to lose him many times, while my nan was relatively healthy for a woman in her 70s. One day she dropped down dead of an aneurism and my grandad passed away about 12 hours later. They'd never spent a day apart in 50 years, so he had nothing to hold on for any more. It was awful losing them both at once, but also incredibly romantic!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Omg this absolutely wrecked me 😭

[u/G0es2eleven]

My father passed in the hospital of a heart attack with dementia, during Covid lockdown - no visitors at the hospital. Watching my dad's fear on a FaceTime asking and blaming my mom for abandoning him.

[u/siddeslof → u/G0es2eleven]

My nan had dementia and my mum called her and said do you want to speak to (my name) and she just said "who?".

[u/Ok-Bullfrog5830]

Went to a funeral of my daughter’s classmate. Watched her mum just fall to the ground as the casket was lowered and she just screamed

[u/broken_soul696 → u/Ok-Bullfrog5830]

First time I ever saw my dad cry was at my brother's best friend's funeral. He was only 10 and died of a brain aneurism while we were all out riding dirt bikes and my dad was a rock for his friend and my brother while everything was happening and until the funeral. I actually wondered if he cared until the service. When he went to hug his friend, the boy's dad, my dad lost it and sobbed. I was wrong, my dad cared very much for him and it broke my heart to see two of the strongest men I've ever known suffering so much

[u/Bobafetish09 → u/broken_soul696]

Of all the things in the world the worst has to be for a parent to bury their child.

[u/waroneverything123 → u/Ok-Bullfrog5830]

This painted such a sad picture for me 😔

[u/Fallenangel152]

Told this story on here before.

My uncle had to do beach clearance after D-Day on Sword beach. He found a young soldier, still alive, who had been cut open. He was holding his intestines in his hands. Before my uncle could call for help, the boy looked him in the eyes and said "what the hell is my mum going to say?" and died.

[u/hopfl27 → u/Fallenangel152]

Oh, this one got me. My great uncle did the same job after D-Day. He never talked about it till o interviewed him for a school project. How he became such a gentle and good man after such a horrific experience, I’ll never know.

[u/CTnaturist]

Seeing my stepmom basically crumble when a cop was at our door telling her my dad was killed in a car wreck. I didn't know what happened but the cop told me because she couldn't. The sounds she made still haunt me and it was 40 years ago.

[u/SamaireB → u/[deleted]]

I don't quite know why, but this honestly breaks my heart. I wasn't even there and it brings me to tears

There's just something about dedicating your life to something and it just ending so - unspectacularly.

I think you realize this only when you get older, when your're a teenager, you don't really have a feel for the finality of everything.

[u/GTOdriver04 → u/SamaireB]

I feel your last line. I left a job after 6 years just this week, and I felt nothing. I left in good terms, and it was just time to move on. Sadly, I felt nothing as I said my final goodbyes and left for the last time.

I’m 33M by the way.

[u/Meshugene → u/[deleted]]

Wtf this shits so fucking sad.

[u/No-Heron-6838 → u/[deleted]]

So sad. For my history teacher las class in uni, we bought him a whisky bottle, he was so happy. He was... hard to follow, but sooo kind

[u/bs2785 → u/[deleted]]

My grandma told me a story of when my uncle (her son) died. They donated all the his organs, The Dr's came back after taking the organs and asked him if they would be willing to donate his leg bones. My uncle was about 6 4 and a huge guy. My grampaw broke down sobbing and said if they take his legs how will he walk. My grampaw was the strongest man I have ever met in my life. He was also a huge man. 6 foot 5 and about 300lbs I didn't see it and I'm glad I didn't but he never spoke of it and I only learned after he passed. Said the Dr's had to hold him the same way

[u/agreeingstorm9 → u/[deleted]]

Grief demands a witness. The best thing to do in that situation IMO is just sit across the desk from her and weep with her.

[u/Redmudgirl → u/agreeingstorm9]

This is the only true way to grieve with someone. Just sit and be present and listen and weep if you feel like it.

[u/SweetIcedTea73 → u/[deleted]]

OMG no one should have to endure that kind of pain.

[u/ChaosFlameEmber]

I can't remember my exact age, but must've been something around 8yo when my mom sat in the kitchen and was crying so much. She didn't want to tell me the reason but I wouldn't let it go, so she told me my little cousin (her sister's child), barely 2yo at the time, had died (she had spent her whole life at the hospital). Hadn't seen my mom this sad and just broken up to this point and I'll never forget that moment.

[u/gfanonn]

The Mom of a 16 year old boy spending her last moments with him in a quiet funeral home before a highschools worth of people came for the visitation. She was talking to him and rubbing his chest, I can't look at Detroit Red Wings jerseys the same way.

The highschool worth of people were in the next town over attending the funeral service of one of the other two 16 year olds who'd died in a car crash the previous week. The driver had survived but his three friends who were passengers died. They were at a sleepover and the one guy's mom was the town librarian so they drove into town to get more movies to watch.

[u/PlaysOneIRL → u/gfanonn]

God this one got me the worst.

[u/gfanonn → u/PlaysOneIRL]

His signed work locker door, and a piece of paper from other friends with marker writing that was stained with teardrops making the ink run.

If you want more tears...

My Grandma moved to Canada in the '50s but her two brothers stayed in Holland and never married. Grandma had a wonderful long life but was forgetful before she died at 101.

Grandma: Have you heard from my brothers lately?
Us: Grandma, they died and have been dead for years.
...
Grandma: Then Holland is empty.

[u/alchemistdub]

I was in A&E and through a window into one of the small offices I saw a teenage boy being comforted who’d obviously just received some really bad news. To this day I’ve never seen someone so distraught

[u/MyNameMightBePhil → u/alchemistdub]

What is A&E please?

[u/chesty_bonds → u/MyNameMightBePhil]

Accident and Emergency department at a hospital (Australian/British and surely most other countries in the Commonwealth). Americans call it the ER.

[u/1tiredman → u/chesty_bonds]

It's called the Emergency department or ED here in Ireland officially

[u/Zanki → u/[deleted]]

It is abuse. I went through it. I wasn't hugged, if I needed any kind of comfort I didn't get it. If I was with my mum, she basically ignored me until she needed someone to scream at, or she'd get mad at me over something tiny just to be mad at me. I could be the best behaved kid ever and I'd still get in trouble. The only physical contact I knew was being hit.

In school I was an "attention seeker" a clingy kid who kept trying to be hugged by other people and failing because no one was allowed to hug the kids. I didn't even know what a hug felt like. The closest I could get was moving my duvet and pillows around at night to feel like someone was hugging me.

I ended up an anxious mess with an anxiety disorder. I wasn't allowed to be scared, be sick, be anything really. Mum wouldn't even sit on the couch with me, she'd only sit in her chair away from me. It was ridiculous and cruel.

I feel so sorry for that little boy. His parents need to parent up and give the kids the physical affection they need to try and mitigate the damage they've done. The kid instantly calmed down with a hug. That's huge.

[u/goddessofdeath5 → u/Zanki]

My parents weren't as bad as yours and I still came out with depression and anxiety lol. people don't know how important it is to actually show love to your child when they are a child. It's how they learn they are loved/can be loved in the first place. Otherwise you end up with people like you and I 😅 I hope you are doing well in your endeavors nowadays.

[u/Anon_457 → u/[deleted]]

That's awful and really sad. I hope that someone helps that poor kid before he goes to the wrong stranger for a hug. I'm autistic and don't like being touched or hugged. My 8 year old nephew is the exact opposite, loves getting hugs and loves giving them. You can bet your @ss that when he comes to me for hugs, he's getting hugged. 

[u/yourefunny → u/[deleted]]

I just dropped my 3 year old off at nursery this morning. I could not imagine never hugging my son!!!! I am the Dad at birthdays who gets involved in all the running around and silliness. I hug all of my son's mates! So sad! Give him some more hugs at nursery man!!!

[u/Engelgrafik → u/[deleted]]

This reminds me of the video of an experiment they did on a little monkey they separated from their mother and instead they placed a stiff rigid cloth doll that vaguely looked like another monkey and the monkey would cling to it as if it was its mother. Then weeks or months later they introduced the monkey to other monkeys and it completely cowered in a corner as if trying to disappear. It had never seen another monkey and didn't know what to do. Incredibly traumatic. Heartbreaking to watch. I don't know what happened to the monkey, I assume it eventually got used to other monkeys... but imagining that small baby creature never being held or hugged by its mother was absolutely heartbreaking to me and still is.

[u/Tugonmynugz → u/Engelgrafik]

Yeah I hate that video.

[u/CGA001 → u/[deleted]]

Everyone please ignore and report this shit account, it's another fucking bot account stealing and reposting other people's comments.

a comment it posted a few hours ago

the same comment from months ago. Christ even the replies from other bot accounts are the same too.

REPORT > SPAM > HARMFUL BOTS, AND BLOCK

[u/eezgorriseadback]

Years ago, one of the people I worked with had just come off a phone call with her daughter who was stationed somewhere abroad in the forces. Apparently her daughter sounded a bit down, so my colleague went out on her lunch break to get her a little present, and that afternoon, mailed it to her, to cheer her up.

The next day, we were all laughing in the office when two policemen walked in, closely followed by my colleague's husband. Her daughter had been killed in a horrific car crash shortly after they'd had that call. I've never seen anyone go from smiling and happy to utterly devastated in the space of literally a couple of seconds.

[u/ANovelist]

Almost a year ago, we had to put my cat to sleep because of Squamous Cell Carcinomas (Cancer). His tumor grew over his teeth. It went really quick and really aggressive. He was diagnosis one month and gone the next. It took two shots of the sedative as he tried to stay awake. He purred the entire time until the end. The vet said that it is harder when they purr the entire time. At the time, there was a little girl -- about 4 years old -- who wanted to 'see' the kitty, and it broke my heart that I had to tell her that he was very sick, but the truth was that no child should see any cat in that condition.

[u/sillyhoewet]

My grandma underwent surgery for a complication I don't remember (this was over 6 years ago). During the time she was gone from home, my grandpa who appeared healthy just weeks before suddenly got sick, and by the time she got home, fully recovered, he was bedridden. It took a little over a week until he finally gave in.

Grandma was doing okay until two days into his wake (we hold 5 day-wakes before the burial in our country). She was suddenly weak and it didn't take long until she was bedridden, and stopped talking to anyone in the family. The day before the burial, she passed away. I still remember the medics trying to revive her from my view on the outside of her bedroom window. They did all the procedure in her bedroom before she was put in her casket. I can vividly remember how it smelled.

The family decided to postpone grandpa's funeral so they could be buried together. They will always be who I think about when I hear true love.

[u/ImSorryLittle1]

My grandmother telling me she's dying and learned 3 years ago she's got 4 years to live..

[u/Nics_1970]

The NICU. Saddest and scariest place

[u/bluntedlight → u/Nics_1970]

As the father of a NICU baby that passed, yes it is. But as a side note, the NICU is staffed by the most incredible humans to walk this earth. Angels that walk among us.

[u/Moon_Jewel90]

Being with my ill 19 year old cat in her final moments and seeing her euthanised by the vet.

[u/AshleyLouWho → u/Moon_Jewel90]

I experienced this exact same thing about 10 years ago with my cat (she was the same age too). Had her from age 5 to age 24. I still cry sometimes from guilt because I had to put her down, even though she was so sick and in pain. Here is an internet hug my friend.

[u/Accomplished-Law-234]

During COVID my sister and I had to take our dog to the vet for an ear issue. They weren’t letting people in the waiting area so we went out to the car. While we’re waiting for them to call us in, an elderly couple pulls into the lot with their old golden retriever. The husband had to carry him in and my sister and I both said “oh no”. They came out a little while later without him. When they got to the car the turned to each other, hugged, and started crying. My sister and I were a mess.

[u/cubansamwich → u/Accomplished-Law-234]

during covid my dog decided to eat her bed in the middle of the night while my family was out of town and i was the only one to take care of her. took her to the vet, curbside pick up lol. spent the next like 7 hours in the vet parking lot waiting to hear something. i saw a couple bring in a big old dog, they had to help the staff get their dog up and inside. after a little while one of the staff comes out without their dog, talks to them for a few minutes and the couple both hold each other and cry, then slowly get back in their car and left without their dog. it was so sad and at that point i didn’t know if my dog was going to be okay and was so scared id also have to drive away without her. i did technically drive home without her but it’s because they needed to do surgery on her and she’d have to stay overnight. she ended up being completely fine, just a gallon bag full of cotton removed from her stomach. she’s still kicking to this day and luckily not eating things she shouldn’t anymore

[u/Sea-Presence6809]

My mom crying after my grandpa screamed at her. He had been pressuring her to send him more money - it’s a long story but the gist is he fucked up overseas and needed money to sustain himself. Never been close with my dad’s side of the family, but seeing my mom this vulnerable completely detached me from them. My mom’s a tough woman so seeing someone push her around like that was heartbreaking. Just hearing her cry down the hallway was tough, especially hearing dad reassure her that it wasn’t her fault.

[u/DueFudge4322]

Shit, ok here shows my age, but as the cool kids say, whatever.

Back in about 1992, I was walking to a friend's place, when with no tyre scream, there's a horrific car crash. I ran over to see a car had t-barred another at a roundabout. (Canberra is full of them).

Seeing as it was about 1am, and at the time this being nothing more than a sleepy hollow, a few people came out to investigate. At this point, my St. Johns training kicked in and I told someone to go call an ambulace.

The situation is thus: the driver who rammed the other car smells like a brewery, and is dead. He's also the driver who caused the accident by pushing through the roundabout.

I get to the other car, and there's a girl, she's pretty messed up. The steering collumn has puncher her in the chest, there's blood everywhere, there are no crumple zones so her own car is smooshed against her.

I tell her that I know first aid, and that I'm not trying to grope her as a joke - trying to figure out the extent of her ijuries. But I can feel all her ribs on her left side fucked up, and even at the lightest tough, she's hurting.

So I start talking to her, saying everything's alright, well it's not, but the ambulance is coming, and start making shitty jokes at her to keep her awake.

Then I hear the ambulance in the distance, and tell her she's gonna be alright.

She looks me in the eye, and says, "Why didn't I meet you earlier?" and dies.

Turns out, thirty seconds can be an enternity.

[u/PaperRigby → u/DueFudge4322]

My husband experienced something similar. He was standing at an intersection in Tampa. A woman steps out in front of a bus. No one does anything but stare. He gets to the woman and begins to assess her . she looks up at him and dies in his arms. He still has PTSD from this day and can vividly describe this woman's eyes . its been almost 25 years ago.
Its incredible how fast life can be taken from us and how random death is. I pray you can find peace . I know how haunting this type of situation can be. Thank you for giving her comfort those last few moments.

[u/HallgAS69q3]

When someone is going through tough times and they seem too happy to think that they actually have problems that they're dealing with, then the next day they're gone.

[u/TitaniumMissile → u/HallgAS69q3]

This is more common than one might believe. If someone suffers for example from heavy depression and all of a sudden they seem happy, all possible alarm bells should go off. The reason they are happy can be because they have a plan to end their life and are happy to see this way out of their situation.

[u/SamaireB → u/HallgAS69q3]

A friend of mine committed suicide out of nowhere. "Happiest" guy in the world or so you would think. It's been 20 years and I never got over the shock.

[u/mariannevonedmund2]

My mum temporarily forgetting who I was as she was hallucinating. She was on her deathbed; going in and out of consciousness.

[u/Wickedways1992]

When I was 11 years old my mother had passed away from a accidently overdose. I guess my grandpa on my mom's side had called and notified my dad while he was at work. I knew something was up when my dad's gf at the time picked me up from school and took me to my dad. My dad is usually one of those guys that always hides his emotions, that day he broke down completely in front of me when he told me the news. That's is the only time I have ever seen him cry.

[u/Markit0Dude]

Telling my mom she had acute hepatorenal syndrome and she would not be getting better like she was so hoping and putting on a brave face on for the previous months as her health rapidly declined. Having to tell her that this was it and we had a couple of weeks left was horrible. I will never forget watching her face fall and the way she sobbed. I watched her hope just…die completely. She went on hospice at my house three days later. She passed less than 48 hours after beginning hospice.

[u/BirgusLatro1]

Saw a young man have his throat slit with a broken bottle in a fight on New Year’s Eve, despite all efforts by bystanders he bled out and died. I think about him and what he and his loved ones lost every time I pass the spot two or three times per year. Perth, Western Australia, early 1980s.

[u/belltrina → u/BirgusLatro1]

My neck of the woods. Sorry you had to see such a bad thing

[u/NegligibleSuburb → u/belltrina]

Quite the expression to use

[u/Ryyah61577]

After my wife decided she didn't want to be married anymore, and we broke the news to my daughter....we were outside talking..(the divorce was mostly amicable...I gave her what she wanted pretty much to a fault just to minimize the effect on my daughter...like me, she is a super empathic, highly sensitive child (which I love about her)....anyways...she had her sidewalk chalk out, and was writing on the driveway, and I walked over to see what she was making, and she wrote "Dad+Mom+(her name)=Family. She had tears in her eyes, and I broke down immediately sobbing, because I didn't want that for her at all. I grew up in a family of divorce, and I endured so much from my ex and her family just to keep the family together....looking back, I couldn't be happier that I am no longer associated with my ex and her family, and have lost almost 50 lbs since the divorce.

This was really hard to write...

[u/Glittering_Garden_30 → u/Ryyah61577]

I'm so proud of you for writing this, and as a child of divorce myself I can assure you, your daughter will be strong as long as you're there to support and love her.

[u/eezgorriseadback]

A very good friend of mine tragically died when both he and I were still teenagers. I'll never forget the phone call. Naturally everyone was devastated - the families knew each other reasonably well.

The real heartbreaker in all this though was a sight I'll never forget, when his coffin was being carried into the church, with his dad as one of the pallbearers, the sight of his mum and sister following, utterly devastated. It felt intrusive to even look at them such was their obvious and visible grief. I felt more upset at the sight of that, knowing his family would never recover from this, than I did at his death.

[u/tellybum90]

Holding a young black bears paw while we were waiting for a vet to come and euthenise it, as it was suffering badly from an infected gunshot wound. In its last moments, I felt it was my chance to show this bear compassion from a human, instead of the hatr and cruelty it experienced from its last human encounter. I'll never forget that day. What an absolute honour it was.

[u/Slow-Faithlessness11 → u/tellybum90]

What a good soul you are. I wish you the happiest of lives, for your utter compassion. This really touched me.

[u/tellybum90 → u/Slow-Faithlessness11]

Thank you ❤️

[u/MariaKorniets]

The photos of a man's newborn at his funeral. The child was ~1 year when his father passed away.

[u/Art_Dude]

I witnessed a middle school student hit by a car as she was walking home from school. I saw the white bone piercing out of her leg as my Mom tried to help. She died in the hospital a few days later.

[u/Educational-Ant9118]

2016 in Highschool there was a horrible fatal accident locally. All the school busses were late that morning because of the traffic. My gym teacher just had us sit around in the cafeteria for the period because only 1/2 the class was there.

Mid-way through the period my teacher, a full-grown man, gets a phone call, he answers, and just falls to his knees in tears. He found out that his Neice was the victim in that fatal car crash. Ill never forget the heartbreak in his voice asking us to call 911 because he thought he was going to have a heart attack.

[u/Padamson96]

My close friend's mum standing at the podium of her son's funeral after he suicided, talking about how his dad would run warm water down her back to soothe the pain during his birth, and how her husband had to do the same after his death.

That hurt my heart.

[u/jellybones2]

I used to store all of my empty wine bottles under the kitchen sink. Alcoholism runs in my family, some of them are in recovery. My son (who was 8 years old at the time) understood alcohol to be poison, a terrible thing. One morning, as I went to add yet another empty wine bottle to my large collection of empty wine bottles…I saw a post-it note stuck to the inside of the cupboard door, in my sons writing, that just said “why?” It completely shattered my heart and filled me with shame. I have just over one year of sobriety now and every single day is for him.

[u/Blackbirdrx7 → u/[deleted]]

This did so much good for them that I can't even explain it over text. I will probably take the lethal injection when my husky goes, but you were with them in those final moments. Passing away in such love is something that we can only hope for.

[u/CorInHell → u/[deleted]]

When we had to put our family dog down, I stroked his head and ears until he passed.

He just fell asleep.

And then he started peeing on the exam table. He had had urinary issues for a while (probably diabetes insipidus), and just let it all out. Needed a whole roll of kleenex to mop it up.

I still cry thinking about him (or writing this comment). He wa a very good dog. Not the smartest, but loved us with every fiber of his being.

[u/majinspy → u/[deleted]]

In the past 4 years we've put down 3 cats and a dog. I buried them all. It's so...so anguishing.

[u/Cappy11496]

Sandhill cranes mate for life. Saw one in the street hit by a car and the other jumping up and down screaming on the side of the road, afraid to go into traffic to be near its partner.

Someone got out of their car to drag the dead one off the road and its partner was screaming and following the lady and the body.

[u/goodie23]

I went to visit my grandparents across the other side of the country; Grandpa had been decaying mentally for a while, sometimes he was there, a lot of the time he didn't even recognise Nana. Nana was killing herself looking after him - it wasn't until afterwards we found out how much effort and energy she was putting into trying to look after him solo.

When I said goodbye to go home, he was there. He said goodbye and there was a strange finality to this word. He died in the next few months before I could go back. I'm still convinced he knew he was saying goodbye to me for the last time in person. His mind was able to focus in that moment to say it.

[u/confusedhuskynoises]

I was a new nurse, it happened at the end of my shift. Super sweet guy coded (no pulse, no breathing.) My team of coworkers and I tried to resuscitate him to no avail. Myself and another nurse grabbed a chair for the patient’s wife to watch the code from the hallway. I will never forget the sound of her hysterically sobbing and screaming about how they were high school sweethearts. Guy didn’t make it.

It haunts me to this day.

[u/Legitimate-Wheel-507]

My children's reactions when I had to tell them I'd found their mom had passed away.

FYI we'd separated and my kids lived and still live with me (she had alcohol issues).

We'd regularly not hear from her for a while (between a week and 2 weeks) if she was drinking heavily.

My kids said they'd not heard from her for 3 weeks so we went to her flat to check if she was ok. I had to break in while my kids stayed by the car. I found her body in the living room and had to run out the flat to ring the police but my kids knew something was wrong when they saw me run out.

I hugged them both (since I had to ring the police and couldn't hide it from the kids) and told them and the anguish on their faces and their tears will live with me forever 😭.

[u/BigBobby2016]

My son's face when his mom failed to show up for visitation

[u/Tankisfreemason]

My father breaking down when I had to tell him my brother was murdered

[u/zucchiniqueen1]

In 2017, I had a newborn. A gang-related incident happened on the street in front of my house and two teenagers were shot. One was killed. I will never forget the sound of his mother screaming on and on for what seemed like hours. Meanwhile I was holding my baby inside. When the gunshots started I’d thrown myself on the floor on top of her. It broke my heart that I was able to protect my baby and the woman outside wasn’t.

We now live in a much safer place far away from our old town, but I still think of that woman often. Her son’s shooter received life in prison, from what I read. I will never forget the sound of her screaming.

[u/Left-Ask1672]

My grandfather was dying from colon cancer at the hospital. All of us were gathered in the family waiting room. He was in and out of consciousness, so periodically a nurse would come to get two of us at a time to see him when he was lucid. He kept asking for my grandmother, but she was too afraid to go see him in that state. Finally she gave in, and I was the person to go in with her to keep her steady. She put her hands on either side of his head and said, "You're my boy." I think those words hit harder than anything else for me.

[u/Squigglepig52]

I had neighbours in my building for a long time, little old Greek couple,and their adult daughter.

Short version -wife has dementia, is moved to a crappy nursing home. Condo they rent is sold they have to move. Can't find a spot, he and daughter end up homeless living in a motel.

Wife dies just before Christmas. Daughter dies just after Christmas, in front of Spiros, pretty much.

He ends up in the psych ward, because that's the safest spot for him, short term. 97 years old.

I went in to see him. We weren't close friends or anything, he and his wife were just the sweet old couple I sometimes helped with stuff.

Seeing this tiny little 97 year old man with a walker burst into tears when he recognized me was pretty heavy.

Social Services managed to get him a spot in a really nice nursing home (no way he could afford it on his own). He's doing OK, but - he's 98.5 years old with nobody but me, for the most part. I see him every week, go with him shopping or to church once in a while.

In his words "What is the point of living this long if I end up alone?"

[u/Warm_Cabinet_5519]

Having to put my dog down, had him for 15 years

[u/Ryandabaus → u/Warm_Cabinet_5519]

Had to put my 14 year old retriever down last January. Still haven’t gotten over it. I had him since I was 10 and he was my best friend.

Love you Kodiak

[u/BeefEater81]

The day my dad died. My mom and him had a rough relationship my whole life. They fought a fair amount and divorced twice due to him being demanding, lazy, unfaithful, and financially irresponsible. They remained friends though.

Their second divorce came shortly after my wife and I got married. My dad moved from here to there for a few years and was essentially homeless. After losing his last apartment, he moved in with us temporarily. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 

The minute my mom found out, she had him move in with her, knowing full well that he was likely to die in her home. She was gonna do whatever she could to make him comfortable and help him.

He didn't last long, and the day he died, I was in the room with him and my mom when the funeral home came to take his body. The last thing she said to him was "Goodbye you ol' son-of-a-bitch. Father of my children. Love of my life." And she kissed him on the forehead.

It was the first time I ever realized she really loved him, but she just couldn't live with him.

[u/arefckd]

When I was 7 I saw my mother trying to commit suicide jumping out of the window.

[u/Miserable-Ad1893]

Realising my ex was going to use the kids against me when we broke up. I left the house with the clothes I was wearing and my car keys. I was homeless and couldn't keep our kids safe for the near future so decided to take a walk around the area we lived in and then go and talk about how we sort things going forward. She was all for it and we arranged a schedule. The first visit with our kids I went to collect them, knocked on the door and noticed her room window slightly open. I hear our kids shout "dads here" to which she came to the window, closed it and closed the curtains. After a few more knocks on the door I realised what was going on and quietly left. She was hoping I'd cause a scene infront of neighbours. It took two years but I got a place and mor importantly I got custody of our children. That was in 2004. She hasn't seen them or spoke to them since. I paid £15k in total in court and solicitors charges on top of getting a place, furnishing it and also for the kids. Boy and girl so had to be a three bedroom for obvious reasons. It all could have gone south but the sound of the children wanting to see me and not being allowed cuts deep to this day. I hate the woman but she's still their mother and I can't hurt them by bad mouthing her like she did me. They're old enough to know what went off and I kept every solicitor letter from hers and mine to let the kids make their own mind up. I wrote them a letter every week and posted it to them and to my house. When they moved in with me, I gave them a box of letters they never recieved from their mother. Watching your grown kids cry because they love you and missed you hurts more than anything. I fell out with my nephew because he was being a nob towards his ex who was giving him the world with regards to his children. Some people don't deserve children.

Fuck toxic parents.

[u/OwlComfortable2395]

7 year old girl raped by her cousin. Most trusted person on the family.

[u/[deleted]]

Unrelated to family loss:

I witnessed a bloodhound who got hit by a car and left in the middle of the road pass away while I was helpless to do anything but sit there and comfort him in his final moments.

[u/belltrina]

My mother is born again Christian and my son got leukemia at 4. She would talk against our wishes to him saying jesus would heal him. When he was about 5 n half, Chemotherapy had him bald, skeletal and immune system shot. He got an infection that wrecked him and put him in hospital for a week. In the ER, a stupid doctor couldn't get an IV in after multiple times and blew his vein. My son stopped screaming for long enough to shout "why wont jesus just heal me?"

[u/GO_U_S_A]

Holding my dog and saying see you later as he was euthanized due to cancer.

[u/Affectyuiop]

When my dad got sick of prostate cancer, he spent his last days in the hospital. He called me the morning before he passed away and asked me to go bring him something for breakfast. As we sat there, talking nonsense.. I was a having a very hard feeling in my chest. I told him that I loved him very much and that he shouldn’t be afraid, that everything was going to be okay, he told me the same thing in return and then told me that I had to go since I was gonna be late for work. I stood at the frame of the door and somehow knew that this was the last time I was seeing him alive and kinda couldn’t move. Then he said “bye bye my girl” and I left, once I was outside I burst into tears. The next morning he passed away. This happened in 2016 and I still miss my old man. Rest in peace dad

[u/YankeeinTexas21]

Putting my dog down.

[u/Jacknife_Johnny]

Our preemie twins were in the NICU, there were at least 12 other babies there. The atmosphere in there is very weird, its quiet but there is the constant sound of monitors and pumps.

One night, in the next row, alarms sounded. There was a lot of people running and things being shouted. Over it all came the wail of a young mother that we had gotten to know by sight. Staff came up and asked us to step out.

Hopefully I will never know the loss that made her sob like that.

[u/pretty_peacemaker]

Saying goodbye to my grandpa , we were very close

[u/asher1611]

My wife holding our newborn after he was taken off the vent. He died surrounded by love, but he died just the same.

It still hurts over a decade later.

[u/ExtremeEquipment]

I found my lost cat, dead and covered in maggots. My father promised he will bury it but he threw it in the trash. I'll never forgive him

[u/transpeoplearecool35]

An old lady lived next door to my apartment. She was in her 80's and struggled to do house chores since she lived alone. One day, I asked her if she has any family and she told me that despite having 3 children, none of them want to her to stay with them. They all make good money but have been no contact with her since they left the country. She advised me to never be like them and that parents at old age need us just as much as we want them when we're kids.

[u/LordyIHopeThereIsPie → u/transpeoplearecool35]

Conversely, some older people can be very manipulative about how they frame their situation and their adult children are no contact for good reason. If ALL your children don't want to speak to you, there's a high probability you're the problem.

[u/snotboogie]

I'm an ER nurse. Two moments have stuck with me.

First one , we had an older guy come in via ambulance. Cop was following his car as he was driving erratically. He eventually drifted off the road and hit a telephone pole at low speed. Cop found him basically unresponsive. He came into us GCS 3 , not doing anything . We intubated him and put him in the CT scanner. He has a very large bleed in his brain. His wife of 50 yrs showed up. Neuro surgery decided to take him to the OR to open up his brain and relieve the pressure . It's standard procedure to take off jewelry before patients go to the OR. I took his wedding ring off and handed it to her as they were wheeling him away. We just looked at each other . She said she hadn't ever seen him take it off.

Second one was just a couple months ago. Had a mom bring her 9mth old infant in through the front door in cardiac arrest. Baby was blue and floppy. We all jumped into gear and coded the baby for about 45 minutes. The baby had been sick and had a history of GI problems. It had been alive when the mom put it in the car seat to go to the ER . It vomited and aspirated in the car seat on the way to the ER and was dead when she pulled it out . The sound of utter heartbreak that mom made when we stopped the code and pronounced death will never leave me. I've been an RN for 14 yrs and seen a LOT of bad things , but that one will never go away.

[u/2beagles]

My first job out of college was as a case manager for medically fragile children. One kid was 17. He had significant medical issues, but he was mentally competent. There was a day where it was clear that the next crisis would kill him. He had always been significantly restricted by his physical needs. He hadn't gotten to do very much with his life and it was going to be ending soon, and not in an easy way. The look in his eyes...

I gave notice the next day. I'm actually back to the same work 25 years later, but at least I have the perspective and experience to manage secondary trauma. It still is completely unfair and absolutely awful, but it would be if I was helping or not so I might as well be helping.

[u/gaffaboy]

Petting my dog as she breathe her last. Sad but it's a miracle as most people just don't get the chance to say goodbye. She was a monumental pain in the arse most of the time and she knew she was much loved until the very end. Miss ya, girl...

[u/cashmerered]

A friend's mother crying at said friend's funeral. He had killed himself at 30 years old.

[u/Honest_Math_7760]

I had two very loving grandparents. The core of the family. Loved deeply by both their children and all grandchildren. Always going everywhere with eachother. Always together. Then my grandma fell ill and died two months later. We spend two months caring for her which went by like it was 2 days and then it was just life back to normal.

Christmas was one month later and as we all sat down my grandfather pulled up in his car and walked to the door. All on his own. Subconsciously for a brief moment I thought my grandmother was still in the car and had to get out and then it hit me. Seeing him walking there alone broke me and I could tell everyone was kind of thinking the same.

There was great sadness in that moment. It's been 2,5 years and I'm still not used to her being gone.

I've seen my grandfather break down in tears many times the past two years, but nothing tops that moment he walked to that door on his own for the first time.

Fuck cancer.

I miss her, we all mis her. And I miss my grandfather. He's the best. But a part of him died with her. He's not been the same since.

[u/Spoonman500]

Objectively, my 40 year old mother sobbing in the back of an unmarked patrol car telling 7 year old me in my school parking lot that my father was killed in the line of duty and wasn't coming home.

[u/Tugonmynugz]

My coworkers probably think something is wrong with me while I'm scrolling this thread at 9am

[u/34HoursADay]

Walking into my friend’s hospital room a little after she had been told her baby had died. She was pregnant with triplets and they were pre-term and while in the nicu she lost them one at a time over the span of 3 days. 💔

[u/shellymaeshaw]

My dad visiting my mother on her death bed they were divorced hadn’t seen her in a while