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Raleigh Exhibit Helps Teens Cope With Loss Of Loved Ones

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RALEIGH — When you are a teenager, life is hard enough. But imagine losing a loved one, a parent, a sibling, a friend. Hospice of Wake County is reaching out to grieving teens and teaching them to cope through creativity.

Samantha Myers, 16, has more on her plate than just garden-variety teenage angst. In 1999, her mother died of a heart attack.

"She was definitely my best friend in the world. I miss living with her, I miss talking to her, seeing her, being with her every day," said Myers.

"I see this child that's in a lot of pain, and I would love to be able to kiss it away and make it go away, but it's just not possible," said her sister, Toni White.

"They had all had a major loss of a loved one, and they needed a place to be able to share what they're dealing with," said Toni James-Manus of Hospice of Wake County.

Teens like Myers are sharing their grief through a photography exhibit, which is the culmination of a 10-week support program through Hospice of Wake County.

"This was my favorite one because it came out the best and it looked the most like her to me," said Myers, pointing to a photo.

Seventeen-year-old Warren Curran is a busy older brother. But he still misses his older brother, Damian, who died last year in a car accident. Curran superimposed his brother's image in a family photo for the show.

"Someone else is out there going through pretty much what you're going through. It was a good way to express how you feel and not be ashamed of it," said Curran.

"Being with friends helps take your mind off it. Just to know you're loved is a good thing," said Myers.

The exhibit will be at Jill Flink Fine Art in Raleigh's Cameron Village for one month, and is open to the public free of charge.

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