Nancy Abernathy is a medical school professor in Vermont who lost her husband to a heart-attack at age fifty. Abernathy shared her personal experience with her med school students. Given them a in-depth and personal look at the loss and bereavement issues they would face on a daily basis as doctors. She confided in them that she was particularly dreading the start of the next school year, in which she has her classes show family photos for an ice-breaking exercise. When the next year started and the day she was dreading arrived, Abernathy was greeted and class by her students from the previous year. In a wonderful display of thoughtfulness and social intelligence, her former students had shown up to help aid her through this difficult time.
