Ingredient 2: Space for Shock
Sudden loss creates disbelief.
People say:
“This can’t be real.”
“I just saw her skate last week.”
“She was so full of life.”
Shock protects the mind from emotional overload.
In figure skating communities especially, where athletes train together daily, the sense of family is deep. The rink becomes more than ice — it becomes shared history.
Allow silence.
Allow stunned pauses.
Allow tears without commentary.
Grief has no performance timeline.
