Death of a sibling: five sisters, five stories

The sudden, unexpected death of a child is likely to have profound and enduring implications for surviving siblings. In this article, stories from five sisters are presented to demonstrate how children's experiences of and responses to the death of a sibling can vary greatly, even within the same family. Each child creates his or her own reality, and this "unique" definition of reality influences the child's behavior. Giving children a chance to "tell their stories" may help nurses and other professionals to understand the meanings and values that are guiding how children respond following the unexpected death of a sibling.