When Your Child Has Died Abroad

One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends 10 If you were already abroad with your child If you were working or holidaying abroad with your child when they died, you may now be alone, or you may have a partner or other children with you. Regardless, you are far from home, trying to cope with so many things in this strange and unfamiliar environment. News these days can travel very fast, particularly through social media, and you will need to think about how to tell people back home the terrible news, even though you are still deep in shock. You might choose to contact someone who you know will be kind enough to inform everyone else for you. A family member or close friend may offer to travel out to join you, which is likely to be very consoling and helpful. You may accept this offer straight away, although you may want to wait a few days, so that you can be with your own grief before having to cope with anyone else’s. Even in the depths of pain and confusion, we usually know what is best for ourselves. If your child’s body is not found Almost unbearably, there have been some tragedies where it is almost certain that someone has died overseas, yet no body has been found. It is heart-breaking to lack a body to have a funeral or a chance to say goodbye. You may be left without answers to your most vital questions. Distance can make finding these answers even more difficult, if not impossible.