My dad and sister died 19 days apart. My other siblings helped me with my grief.

• After my parents divorced, my dad had more kids, but we were all raised as siblings. • When my dad and one of my sisters died, my other siblings helped me deal with the grief. • I will thank my dad eternally for making sure we were all close.

Within 19 days, I experienced both the sudden death of my baby sister and my father. Even though my five siblings and I had different mothers, we all shared the same father, who fostered close connections with us from a young age.

Although we grew up apart, we spent holidays, birthdays, and summers together throughout our lives and have come to love each other deeply. I never called my two brothers and sister from another mother my "step" or "half" siblings; they are just my brothers and sister.

My dad visited often

When my parents divorced,