By Mary Stadnyk | News Editor

Realfaith TV, the diocesan faith-based television program for teenagers, has been honored with a 2012 Gabriel Award by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals for the episode entitled “Too Young to Die: Grieving Teenagers.” The episode deals with death and the grieving process through a teenager’s perspective.

 “It is always a great feeling to be recognized for your work,” especially with the prestigious Gabriel Award, said Marianne Hartman, director of the Department of Radio and Television, which produces the program.

The award, given for the category of Local Religious Release, will be presented during the 2012 Catholic Media Conference to be held June 20-22 in Indianapolis.

As the Gabriel Awards recognizes the work that proclaims value-centered views of society and humanity primarily through film, radio and television, Hartman said, “The award is especially a great boost for the teens who are part of the Realfaith TV talent team to be honored for their witness.

“Their courage to share their faith in public in a culture that doesn’t always promote values and Christian-centered messages is remarkable,” she said. “They are the heart of the show.”

Realfaith TV, which just wrapped up its 12th season of production, received a Gabriel Award in 2007 for the episode, “Companioning a Pregnant Teen,” and in 2008, for “Overcoming Eating Disorders.” The show has also received numerous national communications awards from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as other professional organizations.

The theme: “Too Young to Die: Grieving Teenagers” was the suggestion of Howell musician and Realfaith TV co-host, Justin Zimmerman, and based on his own experience of suffering the loss of his best friend, “Brittany,” who died suddenly in the summer of 2009 at age 16.

Brittany was the inspiration behind the song Zimmerman wrote called “Let Me Go.” Zimmerman and his sister, Alina, who was also very close to Brittany, perform the duet in a music video which was shown at the end of the RFTV episode.

“I knew (the topic of grieving teenagers) would hit home with many viewers,” said Zimmerman, who is a music student in Brookdale Community College, Lincroft.

Explaining his reason for suggesting this topic, “I didn’t know how to deal with the loss of a friend and neither did anyone else who knew her,” he said.

Throughout the segment, the teenagers had an opportunity to talk about how they handle their grief experiences. Some of the deaths that occurred were sudden, such as the result of an accident; others resulted from a prolonged illness. A few accounts of suicide were shared as well.

In addition, the show’s spotlight guest, “Danielle,” recounted how it had been 15 years since she lost her close friend, “Chris,” in a rollerblading accident. Danielle remembered the emotions she experienced – anger and bout with depression – and the steps she took to deal with the death of her friend.

One coping technique that Danielle offered in her interview was that a person should not blame himself or herself for someone else’s death. She also recommended for people to reach out and be a source of comfort to others who are grieving.

While writing “Let Me Go” was Zimmerman’s way to cope with Brittany’s death, he said he hoped that through watching the RealfaithTV segment, other viewers, especially young people, would realize how “very beneficial” it is to talk about the loss of a loved one, whether it is with family members, friends or people from their parish community.

“Even though kids may feel like they’re alone, I hope they realize that they are never alone…that God will always be that light to help guide them through the dark tunnels that they may encounter throughout life,” Zimmerman said.

Other Realfaith TV talent team members echoed Zimmerman’s sentiments saying that “Too Young to Die: Grieving Teenagers” provided a valuable forum for teenagers to talk about loss through death.

“Kids don’t know how to grieve,” said Alina Zimmerman, who is a guest on Realfaith TV and also helps with various production aspects. “They don’t know where to turn for help. Hopefully in the show they can see how others coped with their grief.”

Frequent studio guest, Allie Morris, a member of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, recounted a story from a couple of years ago when her entire school community pulled together after a student, who was 13 years old, had died after being hit by a bus.

 “There were a lot of questions about why it happened and people were saying how unfair it was that someone so young who had her whole life ahead of her had died,” Morris recalled.

By sharing her experience on Realfaith TV, Morris said that she was “reminded of how everyone deals with grief differently.”

“I hope the program helps teens to know that it’s OK to feel sad when someone dies and hopefully to try not to become angry about the death – even if it’s unexpected,” Morris said.

“Dealing with death isn’t easy, but we have to try and see that even when there is a death, that something good will come out of it.“