Jill, also known as The Widow on Facebook, recounts the beginnings of her love story with her husband David, which started back in 1989. Being meticulous about his clothes and fingers staying clean the pianist went hiking in California’s Redwoods with three friends. When they encountered a fallen tree blocking their path, his friends managed to slide through the muddy area caused by the tree’s uprooted base. True to his careful nature, Dave tried to avoid getting dirty but slipped while climbing over the tree, sustaining a severe leg injury. Tragically, this accident led to his passing in 2025, leaving Jill widowed. Her grief deepened when she received a package from Dave a week after his death. Jill describes her recovery period including experiencing what she calls “widow’s brain fog,” a condition she believes is a normal response to the emotional trauma of loss.

Jill concludes "Growing around grief means you are never going to finish grieving the rest of your life but you learn to grow yourself in baby steps to encompass and deal with the grief".

LaTanya Orr is an award-winning brand strategist, certified life coach, and author whose work centers on resilience, healing, and purpose-driven leadership. During her interview, she describes making joyful plans such as celebrating her husband Jimmy's 49th birthday. In just 72 hours, his condition drastically changed.

In 2021, LaTanya co-authored the highly acclaimed anthology A Widow’s Resilience: Moving Forward in Life and Love, After Death Do Us Part, contributing her voice to a collective of 14 widows redefining life after loss. You can also watch our interview on YouTube https://youtu.be/fmTYJsA7ALo