My dear sweet bride and I were joyously united in marriage on March 20, 1976! What a glorious day – we thought our earthly marriage would never end. But suddenly on July 17, 2015 my life turned upside down. I came home from a business trip and found my dear bride standing in the bath room, holding on to her walker and gone to heaven! The shock I can only describe as someone ripping out half of my body.
I was stunned and confused. I called 911 and they asked me to stay on the phone until the paramedics arrived. When I let them in I remember them asking me where Pat was and I took them to the master suite. Someone blurted out, “DB.” One very kind man grabbed me and said let’s get out of here and he took me to my neighbor’s house. I told them what had happened and they told me to sit down and gave me some water. I looked at my phone, and realized I was still on the line with 911. The operator asked me who to call and I gave them my pastor’s name and the funeral home. She told me she would get everyone there and for me to hang up.
I did and the next thing that came to my mind was I need to call my children – oh how I hated making those calls. My son volunteered to call several family members and I remembered Pat’s best friend, Palma Norwood. I called her and she screamed and said it is not true and hung up. She called me back sobbing and told me she was so sorry. My sister-in-law called next in utter shock and told me they would be there as quick as they could. I soon realized I was not crying and definitely in a state of shock. After Sharon’s call, I did start to cry, but nothing like I did when I was allowed to go back to my house.
In this blog, and website I want to help widowers in their struggle as they walk through the grief journey. I learned a lot along the way with godly advice from my counselor and a life filled with grief. I will use scripture a lot and tell you things that worked for me and those that I should not have done. Each of our journeys are different but as I started this journey I discovered that there was not a lot of good counsel for men who had lost their wives. I pray that as I share my journey and things I have learned and done that it will help widowers to make this journey with other men.
Men need other men alongside them on this journey. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
Widower's Walk 