For three days in October 1989 I took a Stress Management Workshop offered to me through my workplace, from the Training and Development branch.
I jumped at the chance even though I knew some of my co-workers and my boss’s boss would be taking it as well!
At first I was nervous with the idea of people I worked with knowing how I was coping after the sudden, mysterious death of my sister, Cindy James, five months earlier. But then I realized this was an opportunity for them to understand me, and my needs, better! And maybe they wouldn’t judge me. In fact, maybe they would learn something about their beliefs around death and mourning…and learn how to reach out to those of us in pain!
I benefited a great deal from that workshop…learning how to pinpoint my fears, concerns, and stresses, and coming up with a plan that worked for me to gain relief…by walking, working out with weights, writing (and lots of that for me!), talking, breathing…
In that workshop I thought I might find someone who had experienced a similar situation to mine—that of a relative dying under unexplained circumstances—someone I could relate to.
But that October, I never did find anyone with a similar experience!
However, since then I’ve talked with people who had relatives die mysteriously. And via the media I’ve heard of several mysterious deaths and garnered a few details.
But now I wonder…is there another woman out there who has experienced the death of a female sibling under mysterious circumstances? Surely I can’t be the only one! There have to be other people out there!
Have you had an experience similar to mine?
If so, I’d love to hear about it!
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
On December 29, 2005, my sister, Emily Griffitt Anderson, disappeared. On January 7, 2006 her pickup truck was found abandonded in a parking lot. Her body was found in the tool box of her truck. She had been shot twice. She was 49 years old.
Her husband was eventually arrested for her murder. A trial was held the summer of 2007. It ended in a hung jury and was declared a mistrial. Charges have since been dropped against her husband. To this date, nobody has been convicted of her needless death. I’m afraid the case is growing cold.
Our family is devastated. We’ll never be the same. Emily was such a good person and always had a smile on her face.
One of her friends sent me this link. You know, I lost both of my parents. My father passed away when I was 19 years and my mom died 5 months later, but the death of Emily has been so much more painful. It’s hard to explain to people who haven’t experienced it. She was my best friend and I miss her terribly.
October 30, 2008 @ 7:18 pm