Jason Hazeley's article addresses the profound loss experienced when a sibling dies, emphasizing not just the absence of the loved one but also the shared childhood memories that disappear. Readers express how their grief extends beyond personal loss, pointing to the cultural gap in recognizing sibling loss, noting that no specific term exists for someone who has lost a brother or sister. This encapsulates a shared experience of longing for the past and the memories tied to lost family members.
The real loss is that I can't ask my big brother. He would have known which hill it was, the route we took, whether we drove there in the blue Reliant or the beige Morris, whether I was wearing the red woolly coat that was once his.
I discovered that there is a big hole in our language. When your parents die, you are an orphan. When your spouse dies, you are a widow/er. Your identity changes just as much when your sister or brother dies, but there isn't a word that recognizes you as the sibling who is now alone.
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