Grief from Afar: Parental bereavement for fallen “lone soldiers” in the Israel Defense Forces—an exploration of parents’ continuing bond with their deceased offspring who is buried in a different country

Based on continuing bonds theory, this research assessed the manifestation of a continuing relationship for bereaved parents with their deceased offspring who is buried in a different country. This qualitative interpretive phenomenological study is based on interviews with seven bereaved parents whose offspring died during military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and were buried in Israel, whilst the parents live outside of Israel. Analysis revealed three themes: (a) fulfillment of their offspring’s will; (b) commemoration; (c) physical and emotional proximity to their offspring. The geographical distance from the grave presented a challenge to parents’ continuing bonds with their deceased offspring, manifesting as a dialectical bond of distance and closeness with their offspring. A key finding was the relational dynamic of the parent-offspring relationship through the continuing bond that emerged following the death of their offspring. Implications for parental bereavement support are considered.