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A Virtual Outlet for Grief
Today, more and more people are coping with grief at virtual memorials, sites where a loved one is remembered through photos, music and writings. One such site is Heartland Hills Memorials, created by Teresa Stevens in memory of her daughter, Kathleen 'Kat' Tedford, who died at the age of 15.
Before creating her site, Stevens remembers her need to find a place where she could go to look at photos, cry and celebrate good memories of times shared with her beautiful daughter. She found that place at Virtual Memorial Garden
'My daughter still has a memorial there,' said Stevens.
Inspired by the Memorial Garden, Stevens wanted to start her own site.
'I honestly feel that when families lose someone they love, they should be able to find a place to commemorate their loved one without expense, so I decided to try to develop my own memorial site into such a place,' Stevens said.
Today, to the benefit of many grieving families, Stevens has accomplished her goal.
Each memorial has it's own page, and Stevens includes photos, music and favorite colors. Her empathy and understanding are evident on each page, where a respectful ambience and tasteful decor are enhanced by continuous music. Every memorial has its own guestbook for visitors to leave a message that will later be posted. Visitors even have the opportunity to leave flowers at each memorial.
Helping others who are grieving has been good therapy for Stevens, but she
admits it comes with a price. The memorials for young people are the most difficult for Stevens to create, who sometimes cries as she looks at the photos of their young faces. She knows all too well the raw pain of a mother's grief and the longing ache of a mother's empty arms.
'But,' Stevens said, 'it is worth it if it helps another grieving mom find that special place to remember her child.'
The concept of virtual memorials is growing, and in viewing the many Web sites, the phenomenon is easily understood. Modern technology allows relatives and friends from around the globe to pay tribute to loved ones. The sites also bring the grieving together. Many have extensive lists of links to grief support groups. Others draw the grief stricken together through posts of tribute that lead to e-mail sharing.
Many of the Web's memorial sites categorize the deceased so that mourners can find people of similar circumstance: suicide, officers in the line of duty, AIDS, children who died violent deaths, pet memorials and more. Through pictorials of actual memorials located around the world, and stories of those
who have visited them, the Vietnam Memorials Web site allows virtual visitors to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
'I have become acquainted with some remarkably nice people during my work with the memorials,' said Stevens. 'We all have something to share, something in common, and something to gain from one another.'
Death and grieving are universal to all species. On the World Wide Web, we can share our pain without any boundaries.
Memorial Sites
Remembering the
Children
American Police Hall of
Fame & Museum
The Web
Memorial
Garden of
Remembrance
Dearly
Departed
Memorial Online
Our Pals (Pets)
The Fallen Wall
(Unsolved Homicides and Missing Persons)
AIDS Memorials
Dead People
Server
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