Have you known someone with a loss of family this holiday?

Yes many recent deaths and a friend lost his mother the day after Christmas.

Last year I lost my mom between Christmas and New Years.

Not this year, but my best friend lost his brother at Christmas 3 years ago, and my grandfather died at Christmas in 1972

Yes, a colleague lost her daughter in a murder suicide.

^^ How truly awful. Just too sad.

Thankfully nobody I know so far has lost a loved one. I hope that will continue for the foreseeable future.

My grandfather-in-law about a week before Christmas.

The husband of one of my first cousins died unexpectedly on Dec. 28, 2011.
He had lost his sight due to radiation and chemo to treat his leukemia but managed to have a good life, assisted by his guide dog, Omega. For years he taught history at the local high school.

From the obituary:

“Three mornings a week he swam laps at the {college} Natatorium. Omega would wait patiently and lick his face at the turn.”

A well respected person from work, whose wife and son are “in the business” too, passed away on the 18th.

No judgement intended here on those who have, but it just feels wrong to give a good answer for some of these answers. There are some very sad responses here.

I have lost family on Christmas day. Not this year, actually a couple of decades ago. My grandmother and her son, my uncle were driving home on Christmas day. It was dusk and she exited an off ramp. However, earlier in the day an 18 wheeler with mechanical problems had parked on that off ramp and failed to leave any lights or indication of any kind that would allow one to see it in the dark.

My uncle was killed instantly. My grandmother (still going strong at 96 years old) was peeled up off of the highway and had to be given an artificial hip was left with a knee that no doctor would even consider touching and had to have her scalp grafted back to the top of her head.

Needles to say, my grandmother is one tough old bird!

@YoBob:That’s an amazing story (in spite of the tragic death of your uncle). I hope you inherited grandma’s genes.

I wonder if the holiday celebrations on the other side are outta this world??

My step-father lost his father just before Christmas 2010. It made this past Christmas a little bittersweet for him.

Me. I lost my mom during Passover this year (2014, or as we Jews call it, 5774).