Research has documented the serious impact that unaddressed grief among children and teenagers can have on their functioning and personality. When these young people have not gained the coping skills they need to process grief, they may fall victim to violence, drugs, or alcohol. I Have a Friend provides a productive outlet for these children and the opportunity to form a real bond with someone who has experienced the same chilling loss. Understanding the program’s significance, Kenny Slaught wrote, “Recognizing that the child’s life will never be the same, the mentor offers a positive example for how to process and deal with the pain of loss. The mentor serves as a symbol that happiness and wholeness can be achieved no matter how the child may feel in the years immediately following a major loss.”