In a 2018 article, the Columbus Dispatch reported that Ohio State football player Robert Flanders had his joy of Christmas muted by his Father’s murder.

Flanders shares the following thoughts about navigating that trauma

“Christmas is so close to the anniversary of my father passing away, the best way to put it is it’s the reminder of a bittersweet day. We still had gifts, we still had a Christmas tree that year, but it’s a milestone in my life I will never forget.”

“I thought it was like a dream I couldn’t wake myself up from,” Landers said. “I

would be going through the day, have thoughts about my father, and it was just

unreal.”

“As painful as it was, there has been a benefit that endures. “It has made me

appreciate the little moments, the special moments you have with the ones you

love.”

“And it has made me realize that everybody has a clock. So whatever time that

you get, such as the holidays, you take advantage to express the love you have for

your family and cherish those moments, because you never know when it’s

going to be the last one.”

How might this story be helpful to a student who experiences trauma?