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As the family returns home, parents guide Alex through supportive, caring conversation, helping him process grief, fear, and mixed emotions while planning next steps for school and the 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on how humanist familiescan explain death to their children.\"The Case of Counting Cells\"appeared in the Spring 2000 FM and \"Fatal Fallout,\"appearedin the Summer 2001 issue.All three articles deal with theuntimely death of a teenager—EDs.  \nIt was nearly 9 o'clock on Sunday evening when Alex and hisparents left the Methodist Church and walked towards their carin the parking lot.Along with others they had lingered after thespecial service for Hank Walters.At first Alex had stayed closeto his parentsbut as the gathering slowly began to disperse hejoined Timmy and Roger who were standing together—some-what apart from others.Roger said,\"God,this is awful.I think Iam going nutsSome parents seem to stare at us like we arefreaks.Our friends don't seem to able to talk to us.\"  \nTimmy added,\"You are so lucky you weren't there.It wasawful.We saw him die!We actually saw him die and we couldn'tdo anything!I had a horrible dream last night and I woke upscreaming.My parents were really scared.\"  \nAlex struggled for composure.Timmy and Roger seemed tobe in another world where he couldn't quite reach them.What tosay?He began,“I didn't even know about it until this morningwhen I went to Roger's.We got home late last night and didn'twatch the news or anythingIt all seems so unreal to me.I can'treally believe Hank is dead.\"  \n\"He is dead allright,\"said Timmy.The paramedics couldn'trevive him.Roger and I watched them take him awayin an ambu-lance.Then everyone started yelling at us.Then the cops cameand newspaper people.It was a madhouse.They took all ourstuff,and I thought they were going to arrest us or something.\"  \n\"Yeah,then my dad showed up and Timmy's mother and theygot us away,\"added Roger.\"You were so lucky you weren't there.It was insane.\"There was a pause as Alex struggled for wordsThen Roger asked,\"Has Hank's mother talked to you about thefuneral?Are you going to be a pallbearer?I know there are goingto be six of us.\"  \n\"Yeah,she asked me and I said okay.But I am really shaky.What do we have to do?\"asked Alex.  \n\"Well,besides the three of us,she's got Tom O'Brian,Walter  \nT H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E S E C ULA B FAMIL Y N ET W  O RK  \nKahnsky,and George Amarian.All we do is carry the coffin fromthe church to the funeral car—the hearse,\"said Roger.  \n\"Geesh,I'm going to be the runt.You guys are all from gradeseven and Tom and George play on the football team.Geesh!I'vegotto go now—my mom just waved at me.What canlsay?'ll seeyou at the funeral,\"said Alex.  \nAs the car rolled out of the church parking lot,Alex's fathersaid,\"Are you okay?\"  \n“I'm all mixed up,\"said Alex.\"I didn't know what to say whenHank's mother hugged me and when she asked me to be a pall-bearer.I didn't know what to say when I talked with Timmy andRoger.What did you say to Hank's parents?Mom?\"  \n\"Well,Itold his mother how sorry we were for her loss and Itold her that if there was anythingl could do to be of help that sheneed only ask.And I volunteered to help her with the people whowill come to her house after the funeral.\"  \n\"What did you say Dad?\"  \n\"Pretty much the same as your mother.Your mom promised tobring some food to the social gathering.I talked mostly to Hank'sfather.\"  \n\"What did you say?\"  \n\"We talked about how important a son is to a father—abouthow we look to our boys to carry on family tradition.We talkedabout the pain in losing a son.And I heard your Mom say some-thing similar to Hank's mother.\"  \n\"I am so confused.I don't know what to think.I don't knowwhat to say.I am scared about the funeral.I want to talk abouteverything and I don't want to talk.Everything is so mixed up.Yesterday I had fun.I knew what I was doing.Now I don't evenknow how to act or how I am supposed to act.I don't know whatto believeI am really screwed up inside.\"  \n\"Well we can talk when we get home.You know that yourmother and I are always ready to do w","cbCainDgjU2mCKXC","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainDgjU2mCKXC","pdf",2769012,"English","# Coping\n## After the special service\n## Talking with parents about the funeral\n## Planning support and next steps","[{\"question\":\"What series does “Coping” belong to?\",\"answer\":\"“Coping” is the final piece in a three-part series on how humanist families explain death to children.\"},{\"question\":\"How do Alex and his friends react immediately after Hank’s death?\",\"answer\":\"They experience intense shock and fear, struggle for words, and feel overwhelmed by the paramedics, public attention, and police and newspaper presence.\"},{\"question\":\"What guidance does Alex’s family offer during the days after the funeral?\",\"answer\":\"His parents encourage talking at home, suggest starting with the earlier Sunday meeting, and help Alex settle his thoughts while offering ongoing support.\"}]","Coping - A Secular Humanist Family Explains Death to Their Children | PDF",1790684768,14]