How to Grieve Someone You’ve Never Met

There was a form of collective heartbreak last Monday when news broke that chef and Masterchef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo had died, aged 46.

Despite most of us never having met him, Jock was a beloved part of TV viewing households across the country. But how do you mourn someone you’ve never even met?

“Vicarious grieving” is the term for grieving someone you don’t know – a concept which can be difficult to navigate and understand, especially with children. Christian psychologist Valerie Ling joined Hope Drive to discuss why vicarious grieving is on the rise and ways to navigate it.

“I think we can feel like we don’t have anyone to talk to… people might think it’s silly,” Valerie said.

“But we do need to talk about it.

“[Vicarious grieving] represents the best of our humanity in the days of social media, in that we care,” – Valerie Ling, Christian psychologist

“[Vicarious grieving] represents the best of our humanity in the days of social media, in that we care.

“We don’t just see them as pixels. They’re people.”

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Listen to Valerie’s full interview on Hope Drive in the player above.