Widow We Do Now?

Epizode

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  Ep. 292 | The Grief App 06.10.2026 47min

  This week, Anita and Mel talk with Sandra Neperud - fellow widow and the creator of The Grief App, a resource designed to help people navigate the messy, unpredictable reality of loss. Sandra joins them from https://thegriefapp.com/om her travel van, bringing her own experience with grief into the conversation. Sandra shares what inspired her to create The Grief App and how her experience as a widow shaped the idea behind it. They talk about the reality of grief after the initial shock w...
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  Ep. 291 | The Million Stages of Grief and Healing: Michael Reed 29.09.2026 45min

  This week, Anita and Mel sit down with Michael Reed, who experienced an unimaginable loss when his wife and two daughters died in a fire in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in 2016. His son survived, and Michael was left to navigate a grief no parent should ever have to face. Michael shares his journey through the million stages of grief and the million stages of healing, the inspiration behind his books, The Million Stages of Grief and The Million Stages of Healing, and what it means to keep living whe...
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  Ep. 290 | Owner's Manual: Widowhood Edition 15.09.2026 56min

  What if you had an owner’s manual for yourself? What would it have said before widowhood, and what would it say now? Mel puts Anita in the hot seat and asks her to imagine her personal owner’s manual — how she operated, what she needed, what people should know about her, and what changed after her husband died. From there, the questions keep coming. Some are thoughtful, some are ridiculous, and some reveal things you probably wouldn’t think to ask until someone actually does. This is a lighth...
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  Ep. 289 | Then and Now: Meet Me Where I Ham 08.09.2026 1h 6min

  Anita and Mel go back to Episode 13, “Meat Me Where I Ham,” recorded when Mel was two years into widowhood and Anita was one year in. Now, Mel is almost nine years into widowhood and Anita is coming up on eight. They listen to that early conversation and reflect on what has changed, what hasn’t, and how their perspectives on widowhood have evolved over the years. They also talk about the concept of the messy middle — that stretch after the immediate aftermath when you’re expected to be moving...
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  Ep. 288 | The Widow Complaint Department 01.09.2026 52min

  The Widow Complaint Department is officially open. In this episode, Anita and Mel read listener submissions about the things that make widowhood harder, weirder, more annoying, and occasionally downright ridiculous. From clueless comments and unsolicited advice to people who just don’t know what to say to a widow, nothing is too petty, too silly, or too absurd for the complaint department. Got a widow complaint? Send it in. Anita and Mel are taking submissions. Sponsored by: BetterHelp....
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  Ep. 287 | Learning To Live As A Widow: Dr. Tina Fornwald 18.08.2026 1h 12min

  Dr. Tina Fornwald knows firsthand how quickly life can change. As a retired US Army officer and breast cancer survivor, her husband Mark died suddenly from a massive heart attack in 2017. After his death, Tina had to figure out how to live again. She found support through therapy, faith, family, and connecting with other widows — eventually becoming someone other widows turned to for guidance and support. Tina talks candidly about widowhood, finding your way after a life-changing loss, ...
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  Ep. 286 | A New Way To Remember: Cumulus 04.08.2026 54min

  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...
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  Ep. 285 | Wrongful Death Widow: Deborah Westwood 28.07.2026 1h 6min

  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 complicate...
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  Ep. 284 | Five Stars, Would Grieve Again: Aaron Simmons 13.07.2026 1h 6min

  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 ...
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  Ep. 283 | Annnnnd They're Back!! 06.07.2026 1h

  Well, it hasn't quite been a relaxing summer, but Anita and Mel are back after life smacked both of them upside the head a few times (or knocked one of them right into the hospital). Check out this episode to get the scoop on what has happened - good, bad, and scammy! And speaking of scams, be sure to check out this episode for a quick update on current things to watch out for! Sponsored by: BetterHelp.com. Save 10% off the first month of online therapy done securely, online with our unique...
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  Ep. 282 | Summer News 15.06.2026 4min

  Anita and Mel have had some crazy things happen in the last little while, so new episodes will be back up in July! 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
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  Ep. 281 | After John Jumped: Eileen Bellew 01.06.2026 1h

  Eileen Bellew joins Anita and Mel to talk about the sudden death of her husband, John, on January 23, 2005 also known as "Black Sunday," one of the deadliest days in FDNY history. Her husband, FDNY firefighter John Bellew, was one of six firefighters trapped in a Bronx apartment fire. The day became known as "Black Sunday" because three FDNY firefighters died in two separate fires that day. In the years that followed, Eileen found herself navigating not only grief but also civil and criminal ...
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  Ep. 280 | Choosing to Live: Jess Anderson 25.05.2026 49min

  Anita found Jess Anderson completely by accident through a comment on Threads, and what followed was one of those instant connections that feels like it was meant to happen. Jess shares the story of loving her husband through cystic fibrosis, a double lung transplant, and the years of hope, fear, and resilience that came with chronic illness. After his death, life dealt another heartbreaking blow when her brother — also her best friend — died in a plane crash. Soon after, Jess found out she w...
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  Ep. 279 | Widows, Witches, and Wellness with Jennifer Newberg 18.05.2026 55min

  When you're a sober alcoholic, a divorcee, and a widow, you might know a thing or two about rebuilding your life. Jennifer Newberg joins Anita and Mel to chat about what all this looks like with honesty, humor, and zero interest in pretending healing is linear. After the death of her husband, Jennifer eventually created widow wellness retreats through building spaces where widows can reconnect with themselves outside of survival mode. She talks about grief, recovery, community, and what happe...
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  Ep. 278 | Trauma-Informed Cancer Care: Christine Fader 12.05.2026 58min

  Christine Fader joins Anita and Mel from Canada to talk about the death of her husband, Michael, and the reality of living through not one but two cancer diagnoses. In 2018, Michael was diagnosed with the “good” kind of throat cancer. In 2020, he was diagnosed with a completely new and far more aggressive lung cancer. By November 2022, he was gone. Michael’s terminal cancer was both aggressive and underfunded despite lung cancer being one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers there is. He he...
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  Ep. 277 | The Modern Dating Survival Guide (Widow Edition) with Lauren Salaun 04.05.2026 1h 10min

  Dating is already complicated—add grief, trauma, and modern communication norms, and it becomes a whole new landscape. This week, Lauren Salaun helps Anita and Mel dig into what it actually looks like to date after loss: how to approach it as a widow, how trauma can show up in your body (yes, even your immune system), and how to figure out what you really want now. They talk attraction vs. compatibility, must-haves vs. deal breakers, and what makes a relationship not just exciting—but sustain...
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  Ep. 276 | The Secret Life of a 4-Month Widow Wife: Dorothy Kane 21.04.2026 1h 12min

  Dorothy Kane is not a grandmother. She is a 36-year-old widow from Toronto who is just four months into life after loss. With a newborn at home and maternity leave underway, Dorothy shares what it’s like navigating fresh grief while caring for a brand-new life. She opens up about losing her husband to lupus, and the disorienting overlap of heartbreak, exhaustion, and responsibility—all while not yet knowing what returning to her role as a high school teacher will feel like. Anita and Me...
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  Ep. 275 | Anita's Crime, Aubrey Plaza, and The Clown Room 14.04.2026 52min

  Anita and Mel are catching up after spring break—grief, growth, and the weird ways time keeps moving whether you’re ready or not. Anita opens up about a heavy realization about her kids: the stretch of time after their dad’s death didn’t just pass—it quietly closed doors. Some of the kids missed windows where they would’ve been starting activities, playing on sports teams, and building routines… and now it feels like they’re arriving late to something nearly everyone else already knows how to...
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  Ep. 274 | Dennis "Fitted Sheet" Brozzo 31.03.2026 1h 7min

  Meet our friend Dennis. Dennis was widowed from his long-time partner Michelle, who died from ampullary adenocarcinoma - a rare, malignant tumor arising from the spot where the bile and pancreatic ducts empty into the small intestine. Dennis discusses with Anita and Mel how he and Michelle were legally set up before her death so he could make decisions in her best interest before AND after her death. Unbeknownst to Anita and Mel, Dennis has made a career change, which was prompted by a promis...
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  Ep. 273 | "You're So Strong....": Leslie Harter-Berg 23.03.2026 59min

  Leslie Harter Berg, known for her Vids for Wids, joins Widow We Do Now to talk about the loss of her husband, Ryan, who died from arteriovenous malformations, and what life has looked like in the years since. She shares the reality of early grief, what it meant to rebuild, and how her path eventually led to remarriage — something that can feel complicated, unexpected, and even conflicting in widowhood. Leslie brings humor into the conversation without forcing it, offering a perspective that f...