what to say to a friend after losing a parent?
28402
At the end of the day, something as simple as “I'm so sorry for your loss” or “I'm so sad for you and your family, please accept my deepest condolences” is always appropriate. But you might want to offer something a little deeper than that, especially if you are close to the bereaved.
334266
Simply say… 'I'm sorry' It can be hard to find the right words to comfort someone who is experiencing this type of grief, but many people say that just having their loss acknowledged is helpful. You might want to say: “I'm very sorry that you have lost your baby.” “This must be really difficult for you.”
130712
['I am so sorry. ... ', 'He was a wonderful man and a talented musician.', 'Know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.', 'I have such fond memories of your aunt. ... ', "When you're ready to talk, please feel free to call me."]
429260
['I miss you too.', 'thank you.', 'oh, ok.', 'whatever.', "awwww, that's sweet of you to say.", "what's for lunch — example of just changing the subject."]
153670
["“I'm so sorry. ... ", "“Thank you so much for the way you're handling this.” ... ", '“Take as much time as you need.” ... ', '“Your grandmother was always so proud of you.” ... ', '“She always had so many nice things to say about you.”']
464686
['"I am very sorry for your loss." Having my loss acknowledged was huge. ... ', '"I am happy to introduce you to people in my network who might be able to help you." ... ', '"Let me check what roles are available in my company that could fit your skills; I am happy to circulate your resume."']
81445
["1. “ I'm so sorry for your loss. ... ", '2. “ Remember you are not alone. ... ', '3. “ I\'m thinking of you."', '4. “ ... ', '5. “ ... ', '“Look on the bright side."', '"You must be devastated."', '“At least you know you can get pregnant."']
689145
['Call them.', 'Send a sympathy card. ... ', 'Hug them. ... ', 'Call the child by name (even if was a baby that they named after the death).', 'Encourage the parents to share their feelings, as well as stories and memories.', 'Share your own memories of the child and/or pregnancy.']
592581
["Acknowledge the person's death. When you are searching for what to say when someone dies, don't be afraid to state what a terrible thing it is to have happened. ... ", 'Be empathetic. ... ', 'Be specific. ... ', "Talk about the person who's died. ... ", 'Express your own sadness. ... ', 'Accept anger. ... ', 'Keep in touch. ... ', 'Break your fear of upsetting someone.']
959340
["“I don't know exactly what to say, but please know how much I care.”", '“What can I do for you?”', "“I'm always here if you ever want to talk.”", "“I'm so sorry this happened to you.”", 'Use humor, but only if you know it will be received positively. ... ', 'No words, just listen.']
543692
["I'm sorry for your loss.", 'He will be missed by everyone that knew him.', 'She was a lovely woman and will be greatly missed.', 'You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.', "When you're ready, I'm here for you."]
852689
['Let them grieve in their own way. ... ', 'Let them express a wide range of emotions. ... ', 'Give them some slack. ... ', 'Encourage them to have healthy outlets to help relieve the pain they feel. ... ', 'Let them remember and celebrate with others. ... ', 'Let them get help.']
242983
["“I'm here for you.” Show up for your loved one and remain by their side as they go through this process. ... ", '“You are in my thoughts and prayers.” ... ', '“This stinks.” ... ', '“Let me help you with…” ... ', 'Tell a Joke. ... ', '“You are not alone.” ... ', "“Any time you need to talk, I'll listen.” ... ", '“What day works for a visit?”']
1414602
["Mention your loved one's name in the first sentence.", 'Introduce yourself and explain your relationship to the deceased.', 'Thank those who came to pay tribute to the deceased. ... ', 'Recognize the family members and close friends of your loved one.']
41779
["I'm so sorry for your loss.", "You're in my thoughts and prayers.", "We'll all miss him very much. ... ", 'I have such fond memories of your brother.', "I'll always remember him as one of the nicest people I knew.", 'He was such a great mentor to all the new people at the office.']
28935
['Thinking of you during your difficult time. ... ', "I am so sorry you're going through this. ... ", 'Sending all of our love and support your way.']
837956
['With heartfelt condolences.', 'We are so sorry for your loss.', 'I hope you feel surrounded by much love. ... ', 'Sending healing prayers and comforting hugs. ... ', 'With deepest sympathy as you remember Ashley.', 'Holding you close in our thoughts and hoping you are doing OK.']