How does it feel when a classmate dies in elementary or middle school?

“A friend who dies, it's something of you who dies.”

-    Gustave Flaubert 

Childhood is the most wonderful age of humans as children are genuinely innocent creatures. Seeing their goofy smile itself brings a glow on our faces. So for them death or the hearing such related news is like hearing news from different planets. It takes a long, long time for these kids to realize the importance of that role – death. So when they sense something amiss, they question it. And adults do have a way of making them understand.

But as they grow, the friends they formed during the school days will gradually wither with time and distance. But still, the innocent jokes, the stupid fights they had had will remain in their subconscious minds for a very long time.

So, as adults, when they hear the unexpected news in the form of death of their elementary or middle school classmates, the first reaction will genuinely be shock, inability to grasp or comprehend the bitter fact --- death of their dear friend. Unknowingly, tears will start streaming through the eyes as they ponder over the beautiful memories they had with their friend. But all this is for a short time, as the saying goes – ‘life must go on.’

However, no matter how busy their lives will get, there will be a time when certain acts or certain places they see or any jokes they hear, a sudden déjà vu feeling will overpower them, taking them directly to the memories of their dear classmate who has gone forever from their lives.