What happens to all the stories, photos, memories, and little pieces of a person after they die?

This week, Anita and Mel talk with Alex, the founder and architect of Cumulus, an online memorial platform created to give people a place to remember and celebrate the people they've lost. They talk about what memorializing someone can look like in the digital age, why the traditional obituary doesn't always tell the whole story, and how technology might help us preserve the parts of our people we never want to forget.

Alex joins Anita and Mel to talk about the idea behind Cumulus, what inspired him to create it, and the ways an online memorial can become a living collection of memories rather than simply a marker of someone's death.

Check out Cumulus for free at: https://www.cumulus.world/

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Meet Deborah Westwood, a widow whose life was forever changed by the wrongful death of her husband, Larry, following medical malpractice.

Deborah shares the devastating reality of grieving a loss that never should have happened. She talks about the heartbreak of losing Larry, the anger and unanswered questions that come with preventable tragedy, and what it means to seek accountability while carrying unimaginable grief.

Anita and Mel learn from Deb about how the legal process complicates mourning, why justice doesn't erase loss, and the "should you or shouldn't you" part of a wrongful death lawsuit for widows.

Find Deb, Larry's photography, and the document for those considering a wrongful death lawsuit "Widow 101" here: https://www.westwoodwanderlust.com

Sponsored by:

BetterHelp.com. Save 10% off the first month of online therapy done securely, online with our unique link: https://trybetterhelp.com/wwdn

Mint Mobile: Mobile phone plans with great service and coverage starting at $15/month https://trymintmobile.com/wwdn

Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes and more!
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You may also enjoy Krista St. Germain's podcast: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/new

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Anita and Mel are joined by widower Aaron Simmons, who shares the story of losing his wife just six days after what was supposed to be a routine abdominoplasty, when she suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism.

Aaron describes the surreal experience of grief, saying it felt like his entire life had been turned inside out "like a sock." He talks about learning to hold gratitude alongside grief, and how that journey led to an extraordinary project: Widow, Widower, Widowest. Created from his wife's journals, artwork, and creative voice, Aaron says he wrote the book with her after she died, weaving together her words with his own experience of becoming a widower.

It's a conversation about devastating loss, enduring love, and the unexpected ways our people can continue to shape our lives after they're gone. Aaron's perspective is thoughtful, funny, and deeply moving—including his unforgettable review of grief: "Five stars. Would grieve again."

Check out Aaron's book, Widow, Widower, Widowest: A Grief Mosaic at: https://www.widowest.com

Sponsored by:

BetterHelp.com. Save 10% off the first month of online therapy done securely, online with our unique link: https://trybetterhelp.com/wwdn

Mint Mobile: Mobile phone plans with great service and coverage starting at $15/month https://trymintmobile.com/wwdn

Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes and more!
http://www.patreon.com/wwdn

Support the show