To invite students to write about death is to explore an opulent and rich world of sorrow and emotion. It is a world that demands understanding and that engages students in a truly visceral way. And, it is an assignment that incorporates personal discovery with social and political issues, stretching writers in ways that many assignments do not. When students are invited to write about death, they become agents in their own recovery. This article focuses on the death of the author's sister, the discussion and project that it inspired, and the many essays that emanated from the experience.