Parenting is hard and I really feel for your friend. Every parent makes mistakes and estrangement is not uncommon, even in loving families. It’s also normal for young adults to go through a period of seeking their own way in the world and pulling away from their parents.

I would suggest that you just listen to your friend’s story with kindness and compassion. There is absolutely nothing you can do to ‘fix’ it. Encourage your friend to see a counselor and encourage him/her to be open minded. Try to be neutral and encourage her/him to see the good things she/he did as a parent and the good things her/his adult child is (hopefully) trying to do in their own life.

I really think counseling would help your friend. This would be a great time for him/her to work on any of their own personal issues - and we all have them. She/he needs kindness and support and there is hope for a better future but it takes some work.