On September 22, 2013 Theresa Jones saw a post on Facebook that there had been a helicopter accident that occurred over the Red Sea. Her husband, Landon, was currently finishing up one of his deployments in the Middle East. She sat waiting, with Landon's parents, to hear if her husband was okay. They kept checking Facebook to see if any thing had changed. While she was siting there, the doorbell rang. When she looked through the peephole she saw the men in uniforms. Landon had gone missing. Theresa and Landon had two children together, Anthony and Hunter. Landon hadn't had the chance to meet Hunter yet. After Landon's death, Anthony would make a special drink to remember his father that contained blue Gatorade, sprite, and red punch. Those represented the water, the bubbles, and the Red Sea. Anthony, now ten years old, does taekwondo to use as a coping technique and a sport. Theresa wants people going through this to know that things will get better.
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Questions:
1.) How would you react if you were in Theresa's situation?
2.) How would you tell your children that one of their parents were missing or dead?
Answers:
1.) I would be completely devastated. I can not imagine how hard it would be to have a loved one gone all the time, but then you would have to worry about something like this happening to them. I would have to stay strong for my children, but I would be heart broken.
2.) I think that I would tell my children by sitting them down and explaining it to them. I would say something about how their parent was fighting for our country and unfortunately they won't be coming back home. I would let them ask the questions that they wanted to and explain things to them. I would also ask them if there was anything they wanted to do to help them cope or remember their parent by.
Replies
Super job Abbie!
If I was in Theresa's situation I would be very worried about Landon and the crash. Afterwards once I found out that he was missing I would be devastated because that is the person that she loved and had children with. The only way I would be able to tell them is with my parents. I would have them sit down and I would try to explain to my best abilities what had happened to their dad.
If I were in Theresa's situation I would feel horrible and I would just be really upset and sad. This would be a horrible thing to experience, especially when one of their kids never even got the chance to meet his own father. I would try to explain that he might not come back home but that he's not gone forever and they will see him again someday.
I would be devastated and not able to comprehend what was going on in the moment. I can't image how hard it is for some loved ones to have someone gone all the time and I would just worry about them. It would be hard but I would just sit them all down together and try to prepare them for what was about to be said.
I would be devastated in Theresa's shoes, with my father in the military we know that anything can happen when he is deployed and that is the news we pray we never get. I wouldn't know how to tell my children, I agree with you I would have to sit them down and explain.
I couldn't even imagine what I would do if I was in your shoes. I think having a loved one in the military would be so hard. I hope I would never have to tell my children that their mother/father isn't coming home.
In her situation my reaction would probably be rather worried and in a panic. I would struggle to keep calm but still try to be practical and do whatever I could to find out what really happened and if he was ok or not. Telling your children of a missing or dead parent would be really difficult for me. Thinking emotion wise you wouldn't be able to tell then without grieving yourself I would think. How could you tell them such a thing?
I would be completely lost. I feel like I would just cry forever. I would hope that someone in my family would be me in this time. Maybe someone, such as my parents, would help me with my children and make sure they are okay.
1. This would be completely awful. I would feel awful because I lost a loved one, but I would feel even worse for Anthony. He didn't even get to meet his father, and now he will never get the chance to.
2. This would be a horrible thing to try and tell your kids. I would definitely just sit them down and tell them what happened. Though it sounds harsh, a long drawn-out speech would only make the situation more painful to listen to.
I thin that I would feel like my whole world is falling apart. I would probably have a lot of break downs and just cry. I feel so bad for both of the children. I would tell my children that their father/mother loved them very much but he is in a better place now.
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