Widower to Widower
By Fred Colby
When Fred Colby’s wife, Theresa, passed away in 2015 he felt lost, scared, and desperate for answers.
“Widower to Widower” serves as a guide for fellow widowers. Fred compiled the most vital information he could find on the widower experience into one book, so the reader does not have to search as hard as he had to.
The book covers a wide variety of topics, from the preparation for a wife’s passing, the immediate aftermath of loss, to how to move forward. Fred walks readers through the stages of grief and offers his own advice and personal experiences as well as offering input from clinical therapists.
The book begins by telling Fred and Theresa’s story, how they met, stories from their married life, and how Theresa was diagnosed with uterine cancer. The Colby family’s CaringBridge journal entries are also woven into the book.
Fred acknowledges that every widower’s experience is different and is affected by so many factors. He grants immense compassion and understanding in his writing and addresses the topics and issues tied to widowerhood frankly and with honesty while still maintaining his empathy.
Fred writes, “Each of us grieves differently. So, there is no one right way to grieve, no one right amount of time to grieve, and no guarantee that if you do it one particular way that you will emerge whole on the other side.”
Covering both the practical and emotional realities of a loss, this book can help widowers to acknowledge their feelings and understand that what they’re going through is normal, all while offering a sense of support and the resources to help them find other support systems in their lives.
The book’s goal is to help its readers move forward, and tries to assist the best it can with covering the steps towards healing. Throughout the book Fred reminds his readers, you are not going crazy, the grieving process is unique and different to every individual, and you will get through this.
Buy Widower to Widower on Amazon.
— Book review by Aly Haugen, CaringBridge Staff