The last few days have been sad ones for Canada. As I write this column a hockey stick and candle are sitting on our front porch just like on so many homes across our country. The Superman tape I used on Jack’s stick stands out for me. This week the seeming invincibility of youth came crashing down and it leads to our collective need to find a way forward from such tragedy.

Our collective grief began last Friday morning when families awoke to news that Jonathan Pitre – the Butterfly Boy – had passed away after a valiant struggle with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) at the tender age of 17. Canadians began to follow Jonathan’s journey a few years ago when he and his amazing mother Tina began sharing the immense challenges they faced living with EB, a rare disease where Jonathan’s skin would blister and bleed with even moderate contact. His mother moved mountains to help Jonathan overcome risks, access treatments and experience a full life despite his condition. What was most inspiring about Jonathan was his relentless optimism and unconquerable spirit. He did not let his condition define him and fought and inspired many people until he sadly succumbed to the disease following experimental treatment in the U.S.

Later on Friday evening tragedy struck again when the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team was involved in a terrible vehicle collision and fifteen members of the team died and more were critically injured. The thoughts of a bus filled with talented young players entering their prime filled the nation with intense sorrow. We could all relate to this tragedy because we had played the game ourselves or had cheered on teams just like the Broncos in our local arenas or during Team Canada competitions that regularly grip the nation during the World Juniors or the Olympics. The loss of so many promising young people in a tragic accident was hard to face.

What can help us through these periods of intense national grief? There are many ways and talking about sadness is the most important whether at work or at home. Social media has also changed the way our country hears about and responds to such tragedy. The grief spreads quickly and touches more people, but social media also allows us to share grief and offer support for others amid the sadness. The hockey stick vigil and the wearing of jerseys this week will help us express solidarity with the families struggling through this period. Fundraisers for EB or the Broncos families can show support as well and online funding campaigns have allowed Canadians to do that.

I would also suggest that solace can be found in the conversations themselves. When our country shares grief we share the story of these remarkable people. We let their families and communities know how they touched and inspired us. More Canadians now know about epidermolysis bullosa as a result of Jonathan Pitre’s life and his legacy will continue to help raising funds for research into treatment or a cure. And in the case of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy we can also find some hope amid the intense sadness. One of the players who died in the crash – Logan Boulet – had signed his organ donation card a month earlier following his 21st birthday. The grief from the loss of Logan will be immensely difficult for his family, teammates and friends, but we can only hope that they find some solace in the fact that his donation has led to life changing assistance for six organ recipients. His selfless act has also led to many people using social media to pledge that they will sign their organ donation cards, so his legacy will be profound as well. I hope we all find some solace in this.