When someone you care about is going through something difficult, the instinct is to find the perfect thing to say or give — something that will make it better. It usually won't. What tends to help instead is something quieter: proof that you're still there, and that you're not going anywhere.
Something steady, for the long stretch
At Galaxiana, a star named for someone going through a hard time isn't meant to fix anything — it's meant to be something steady to look at on the nights everything else feels uncertain. A message like "This one's yours. It's not going anywhere, and neither am I" tends to be remembered long after the difficult stretch has passed. From $34.99.
Offer something specific, not vague
"Let me know if you need anything" asks the exhausted person to do more work. "I'm bringing food on Thursday, no need to talk if you don't want to" removes the burden entirely. Specific offers get accepted. Vague ones rarely do.
Stay, after everyone else has moved on
The first week tends to bring plenty of support. The sixth week often brings none — and that's frequently the hardest one. A short message sent a month later, with no occasion attached, can mean more than anything sent in the first few days.
You can't carry someone else's difficulty for them. You can make sure they know they're not carrying it entirely alone.