Tomorrow I have to go to the funeral of my coworker. He died suddenly at the age of 25 leaving behind a young wife and a 4 month old baby son. It's been devastating.I'm just in shock.

I don't know how to survive this. I only have visions of seeing this young woman and her child knowing that there will never be a father to watch the child take his first steps, no father to hold him high on his strong shoulders on a trip to the zoo, no husband to comfort her in lonliness and kiss away her tears, no hugs,no comforting partner and husband and father.....

How do I look at this woman and know that this emptiness will be her companion? That the father of her child is gone for good and gone forever? That her partner for life has just left her with a small baby and no comfort....?

I'm heartbroken. I don't know how to face this and I've got 12 hours to figure some way to keep myself from falling apart in the middle of things and coming undone. How do I look at this woman and know her coming sadness and permant grief, and yet not come unglued myself? I've never faced this before, I don't know what to do. How shall I remain calm and collected? Somebody tell me what to do......