The noun HARNESS has 2 senses: 1. a support consisting of an arrangement of straps for holding something to the body (especially one supporting a person suspended from a parachute) 2. stable gear consisting of an arrangement of leather straps fitted to a draft animal so that it can be attached to and pull a cart.
But there seems to be no word for a parent who has experienced the death of a child. It's not an official term, but I am thankful to Karla Holloway for finding this word. Vilomah is a Sanskrit word that literally means, against a natural order.. A child should never die before their parents.
Vilomah is a word for a parent whose child has died. I will attempt to explain why this word has been such a comfort to me. But if you want a better explanation, you can click HERE where I desperately searched and searched day after day, and finally found someone who had thought of a term for people like me.