[Leprucky Cougar]

I'm sorry for your and your mother's loss. I offer my condolences. Although I can not recall loosing an Aunt by death, I have due to lost of contact. My grandad on my dad's side was a big time player. And before he died in the spring of 2003 he had his fun being a "rolling stone." He was a biracial man but he had affairs with several races so it's very possible that I have aunts and uncles all across the states. I know for a fact he mentioned a few in NY and North Carolina, but who knows.

But I've lossed a few uncles by actual deaths. On of my uncles died in the 80s(his father as well so my grandad) before I was born and it wasn't because of health issues--he was in fantastic shape; he was returning home from military training during holiday vacation; he didn't drive, he caught busses frequently. But the day he was on, some "trouble makers", I assume gangsters were on. The driver begged for them to stop, they ignored him and kept going. Some even came to the front and were fighting on him. When their stop came, they hurried off because they sensed him approaching, he parked the bus, grabbed his own gun and hurried to the back. They were all wearing the same kind and color jacket as my uncle, and he was the last one off the bus. The driver didn't know who to shoot at and he assumed they were altogether. But he shot my uncle. The driver drove off, as he fell to the ground so did a buch of bafs full of presents in front of the pathway to my grandmother's house. What was rather inappropriate I thought was instead of calling 911 immediately looters came by and took the gifts and loose money in his pockets.

My other uncle died from complications of HIV

So again, I can relate, but just in a different way. Encouragement is key. You both are experiencing grief--probably in different ways so if you motivate each other that you'll get through this that is key. Whatever religious faith you're into I'm sure would ease the level of pain as well.