I became an orphan at age 12. Now, I run a summer camp for kids like me.

Courtesy of Bennett Raglin

• Lynne Hughes lost her mom at 9 and her dad at 11.
• Now, she runs a bereavement camp, serving hundreds of kids each year.
• She says kids don't process grief in the same way adults do.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lynne Hughes, founder and CEO of Comfort Zone Camp. It has been edited for length and clarity.

When I was 9, my three brothers and I were watching our parents play tennis near our Michigan home.