Atheism

I guess i can't change the fact that i've been questioning Christianity since 7th grade, don't need a high being or faith to get me through my days, or care much at all about an afterlife of heaven or hell. Religion isn't a part of who i am, but as much as i argue with those who do believe for their reasons and needs, there's a part of life everyone goes through which might just suck the worst for people who don't believe. Death. I went to a funeral a bit ago and thought: this person affected my life in a significat way, he was a great man, and i have good memories. Everyone else sits around saying, "He's in a better place, i know he's happy up there, he'll always be with us as an angel." I already have a problem dwelling in the past and not letting go of things, so when someone dies and i know there is no possible way i could ever see them, be with them, or relive memories again-i have no comfort.
As someone who doesn't believe in a God, there's no point in me praying. But when i was in a situation i never thought imaginable, where someone extremely close was extremely sick-i thought, what can i do to find comfort and help? My prayers are insignificant in my actuality, but it does provide comfort. So here i am, stuck in a similar situation with a friend quite sick with no way to help or feel better.
I imagine it easier to accept the loss of a close friend or family member, because you would have others there knowing what you're going through and you'd have years and years of incredible memories that are more important than the one moment of death. But i've experienced the death of someone i really cared about who didn't value me as important. That's the worse-you don't have similar friends who could comfort you and you can't know that you made a huge impact on their life.
I suppose that's the curse of someone who worships actual relationships instead of something idealistic.