Survivor Guilt/Quotes
"He dies and not you, and you feel guilty, because you're glad he died, and not you. Soldiers live, and wonder why.”
—Croaker, in Soldiers Live, by Glen Cook
Annie: When that bomb went off...
Jack: I know.
Annie: I thought that was it. I thought that was the bomb, and I was dead. And when I saw her body fall under the bus, it was like...
Jack: You were glad you were still alive.
Annie: Mm-hmm. (cries) I'm so sorry.
Jack: Don't be. You should be glad. We all are. It doesn't mean you don't care.
Annie: I know, but she was so scared.
Jack: She was scared. She was a nice lady who didn't deserve to get killed, but if she'd gotten off, it would have killed us all. He's the asshole, Annie, the guy who put us here. Remember that.
Annie: Big asshole.
"The circumstances leading to your being in a survival setting are sometimes dramatic and tragic. It may be the result of an accident or military mission where there was a loss of life. Perhaps you were the only, or one of a few, survivors. While naturally relieved to be alive, you simultaneously may be mourning the deaths of others who were less fortunate. It is not uncommon for survivors to feel guilty about being spared from death while others were not. This feeling, when used in a positive way, has encouraged people to try harder to survive with the belief they were allowed to live for some greater purpose in life. Sometimes, survivors tried to stay alive so that they could carry on the work of those killed. Whatever reason you give yourself, do not let guilt feelings prevent you from living. The living who abandon their chance to survive accomplish nothing. Such an act would be the greatest tragedy."
—FM 21-76 US Army Survival Manual, on guilt