This study explores how English Language Arts (ELA) teachers' experiences with grief shape their approach to teaching tragic texts that explore themes of loss and tragedy. By analyzing teachers' narratives, we examine how their emotional responses to personal losses influence their pedagogical practices when dealing with tragic literature. Specifically, we examine three key questions: how teachers navigate their grief while teaching tragic texts, how their emotions impact classroom activities, and how they align their emotions with professional norms. Building on existing literature and research on the role of emotions in teaching, this study highlights the complexities of teaching texts that address profound themes of death and suffering. It explores how personal grief can challenge teachers' instruction of tragic texts, potentially affecting their interactions with students and their ability to foster meaningful discussions about loss. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection between personal experience and professional practice in the ELA classroom, emphasizing the need for emotional awareness and support for educators dealing with teaching and personal grieving.