Jasmine Turner

100 E Queen st
Hampton, VA 23668
November 16,2016
Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
Chairman & Publisher.
New York Times
620 Eighth Avenue
Manhattan, New York 10018

Dear Mr. Sulzberger

Death is something that we can not control. We will all die eventually. There is no set date or
time for death. It just happens , no matter how much we try to prepare our selves or state that
"everyone will die". When the time comes we are never ready . There are five stages of
mourning: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. We are not taught how to deal
with death just expected to move on and this is why we need more awareness on grief. What
would you do if you died? Are you financially prepared ? Being aware of death will then stress
the importance of life insurance , discussing death within families and savings for any
unexpected cost.

The lost of a loved one can make you feel empty inside. When my father passed it was hard to
even fathom living. I didnt know how life would go on and no one helped me deal with the
grieving process. According to Journal of death and dying there has been 3 reported ways to
cope with the death of a parent: active/ approach, support-seeking, and avoidant coping . When
a child used active/approach they accepted what happened and moved forward ,Support
seeking method they looked to peers and family members and avoidant coping they denied the
situation and the led to depression. The loss of a father has a big impact on a female but not as
much as the loss of her mother. This knowledge should be known, not just when someone dies
because at this point its hard to listen because it feels like no one is listening. Outlets such as
New York times can appoint a section where they give tips and offer information on dealing with
grief and ways of coping.

The conversation about death is one most never want to have. In reality it is the most important
conversation to have, especially with parents. Death is not just devastating and hurtful, it is
expensive. Funeral cost, burial services , insurance, and medical bills all add up and can easily
put a family deep in debt. Be aware of everything they own , all accounts and if they have life

insurance or not. In case something were to happen, families could mourn and not be hit left
and right with bills .

The fact that death is not really talked about but is known. We can expect people to react in all
types of different ways resulting into depression , suicide and just not being able to return to day
to day activities.We all need help when death comes around, but there might not be ways to get
it. New York Times is accessible by everyone and can be accessed online and in paper form.
This is perfect for spreading viable information, being that death effects everyone and not just
one race or species. We can all benefit from knowing more about it .

Work Cited

LAWRENCE, ELIZABETH, et al. "Gender Differences In Grief Reactions Following The Death Of A
Parent." Omega: Journal Of Death & Dying 52.4 (2005): 323-337. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 25
Oct. 2016.
Burg, Brad. "Things You'd Better Know about Your Parents' Finances." Medical economics 75.22
(1998): 107-21. ProQuest. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
Myers, Margaret, and Suzanne Sjqvist. Still Here With Me : Teenagers And Children On
Losing A Parent. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007. eBook Collection
(EBSCOhost). Web. 25 Oct. 2016.