The relationship of long-term bereaved siblings with their parents

The unique voice of long-term bereaved siblings has been almost completely ignored in the literature. Using 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews, we examine the perspectives of Israeli siblings on their relationship with their bereaved parents. All informants experienced the sudden death of a brother during his army service and, as a result of the loss, became only children. The findings emphasise the complexity of these relationships, which were characterised by the participants’ experience of lack of recognition and subjective presence on the one hand and the heavy responsibility they feel for their parents on the other. These relational components are evident throughout the bereavement years – regardless of the gender or age of the sibling at the time of death – and were echoed in the social messages bereaved siblings received following the loss.