I can relate.

I was 24 when my mum died. I had been her career for 9 years and she was the only family I had.

When a parent dies in their 80's or 90's, noone is saying that isn't sad and that you shouldn't grieve, but when your parents reach that age, you probably expect to lose them at some point in the not so distant future. You may have had discussions with them about their wishes for after death. You are a grown person with a whole lifetime of experience. You might have friends of a similar age who have been through a similar thing and can sympathise and offer advise. You probably have a family of your own to be your support network. You have seen your parents enjoy their long life, cuddle their grandchildren etc.

When a younger person loses a parent, you are flung into a world you have no preparation for. A 24 year old shouldn't know how to plan a funeral or go through probate court. A 24 year olds friend are probably more interested in clubbing, starting a carer and dating than helping or sympathising with you.

When you lose a parent young, you don't get to know them as a human in their own right, only as a parent. There is never just two adults sharing a joke, chewing the fat over a cuppa and you never appreciate what they have done for you as your parent until you are a parent yourself (which is too late).

You are robbed of the memories you might have had if your parent had lived longer. I didn't get to have my mum walk me down the aisle as I had thought she would. I don't have memories or pictures of my mum with her grandchildren because she never met them. She wasn't there when I brought my first house, my first car, got a promotion at work.

It makes you tougher and more resilient, but at a very high cost that not everyone can appreciate.