Chapter 103
One of the most meaningful things you can give a grieving family is something personal: a memory.
Words for a difficult moment
You do not need perfect words. A simple message of sympathy matters. But when you knew the person who died, one of the most meaningful things you can give their family is often something more personal: a memory.
A simple place to start
“I am so sorry for your loss. I will always remember…”
Sympathy card messages
If you are struggling to know what to say, these are good starting points. Use the one that sounds most like you, then add a sentence of your own.
Why memories matter
When my grandfather passed away from stage 4 cancer, I received many cards and short condolence messages. I appreciated every one of them. But the one I cherish to this day was a letter.
It started with “He will be missed.” But from then on it became a chain of “I remember…” memories.
“To me he was…”
It shared sides of him I already knew, and others I had never seen. He was known. He was remembered. It filled me with pride.
I cried, but I also felt a warmth that a simple sympathy or condolences card could not quite fill.
So I created something that could capture even more — something that could be kept as a keepsake in a wallet and shared with others.
The GTK Memorial I Remember Card.
If you want to say more
You do not need to write a biography. One honest memory can tell a family something they will carry with them.
A sympathy card can say more
A physical remembrance card linked by QR code to a place where a memory, photograph, message or story can live beyond the few lines that fit inside a traditional card.
Small enough to keep in a wallet. Simple enough to share. Made for the things worth remembering.
Choose whichever is easiest. The I Remember Card is $19.99 either way.
We’ll mail the I Remember Card to you. Activate it, add your memory, then give or mail it when you’re ready.
We’ll follow up by email for the recipient’s address, ask whether standard USPS mail or expedited shipping is best, and send the physical card directly to them.
We’ll provide the activation handoff and GTK shipment scan receipt.A few more examples
“I am so sorry for your loss. I will always remember how welcome your dad made everyone feel. He had a way of making you feel as though he had all the time in the world for you.”
“Your mother was one of those people whose kindness stayed with you. I remember how she always asked about my family before I ever had the chance to ask about hers.”
“He will be missed. One of my favorite memories is the afternoon we spent laughing about absolutely nothing. That is how I will remember him.”
Common questions
“I am so sorry for your loss. Thinking of you and your family” is enough. Sincerity matters more than length.
You can acknowledge the person directly: “I was so sad to hear about Michael,” “She will be deeply missed,” or “I am thinking of you during such a difficult time.”
If you knew the person, yes. Even a very small memory can be meaningful to a grieving family because it shows how their loved one was known by other people.
Say that. A simple “I don’t have the right words, but I wanted you to know I am thinking of you” is sincere and entirely appropriate.
Remember them well
Sometimes the most comforting thing you can give a family is simply the knowledge that the person they loved mattered to someone else too.
See the I Remember CardBelow, people who know about grief and loss share their advice, experiences and Knowings to help you find the words when they are hardest to find.
Chief WHOist, Founder and CEO of GTK® The Brand that Gets To Know People. Charles J. de Guara has always been driven by a desire to know WHO people are, not simply what t...
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