The purpose of this dissertation is to document the mourning process of children whose parent died of AIDS during the first 25 years of the AIDS epidemic in the United States. This dissertation is a qualitative effort to inform others about the complex bereavement issues posed by a parental AIDS death and how a child's ability to mourn is hindered by the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. The narratives presented in this study, including the researcher's own, will depict the unique challenges encountered by AIDS bereft children as they try to overcome the shame associated with a parental AIDS loss as well as try to mourn the death of their beloved parent without the traditional social and emotional comforts normally afforded to bereaved children. Ultimately, the findings of this dissertation not only convey the difficulties of losing a parent to AIDS but offer ways for clinicians to help HIV/AIDS affected children cope with their loss with a greater sense of pride and acceptance.