Please or to access all these features

Bereavement

Find bereavement help and support from other Mumsnetters. See also your choices after baby loss.

What death made you grow up?

30 replies

OneUmberJoker · 07/11/2025 14:57

A friend when I was 14 , had to grow up and give speeches at his funeral.

OP posts:
DumboNoMore · 29/11/2025 00:55

My husband when I was 24. It’ll be 10 years ago next month. We had 2 DC, age 4 and 5. We had been together since I was 16 and I just couldn’t imagine how we’d survive without him.
I remember feeling completely crushed and overwhelmed that I was now forever solely responsible for these two little humans and in the coming days, I’d have to tell them the news and change their lives forever.

Im so proud of the 3 of us and how far we’ve come. But losing him has changed me forever. Its put out my spark and I don’t think that will ever come back.

ClawsandEffect · 29/11/2025 00:57

TheWibble · 28/11/2025 23:49

3 significant deaths all made me grow up in different ways.
1st was my Nan, when I was 8/9yrs old. We were very close and I feel like her death signalled the end of my childhood. There was a huge loss of innocence for me.
2nd - I was 29 and still living with my parents when my Mum died. Looking back i think we were extremely codependent. That's when I felt adulthood hit me, within 6 months I moved out and started my own family.
3rd - My Dad passed away earlier this year when I was nearly 39, closely followed by the death of my best friend. I don't have siblings and now my only family is my daughter. The burden of dealing with Dad's terminal illness, then his estate, whilst trying to parent a grieving 7yr old, and also feeling quite isolated due to the death of my friend, has left me feeling very old in comparison to acquaintances in my age group.

Also my granny at 11. She was one of only 2 people I ever felt real, unconditional love from. Her death coincided with quite dramatic other changes in my life. Life seemed to go from normal, to absolutely awful, after her death. And I feel as if it never really recovered again for me.

Thanksfoetheextrabbayby · 29/11/2025 01:38

My baby when I was 21. He was the first person I'd known to die and the first funeral Id attended. It changed me forever and gave me a fear I've never been able to get rid of.

Mikart · 29/11/2025 07:00

My 25 year old ds. It came from nowhere. It has destroyed many people.

PandorasBox7 · 29/11/2025 07:01

My dear mother who died of breast cancer in her 40s. I have had to deal with a lot of deaths since then but hers was the hardest to accept.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread