Widowed AF: Real stories of love, grief and beyond - With Rosie Moss

Episode Overview

In this episode of the "What About The Children" series, host Rosie Gill-Moss speaks with Stephanie Dixon, who shares her experience of losing her father to suicide at the age of 14. Stephanie discusses the complexities of her childhood, the impact of her father's death, and the importance of open conversations about mental health and grief.

Key Discussion Points

• Childhood Memories: Stephanie reflects on her early memories of her father and the signs of his struggles with mental health and addiction.
• The Day of Loss: She recounts the moment she learned of her father's death and the emotional aftermath.
• Support Systems: The conversation highlights the support she received from family and friends, as well as the lack of resources available at the time.
• Coping Mechanisms: Stephanie shares her journey through grief, including her experiences with therapy and the challenges of processing her emotions.
• Open Dialogue: The episode emphasises the need for open discussions about mental health and grief, particularly with children, to help them process their emotions.

Related Episodes in the Series

• Jess Yeldon: Discusses her experience of losing her father at a young age and the long-term effects of grief.
• Roisin Aldridge: Shares her perspective on losing a parent and the importance of support from peers and family.
• Ottis Middleton: Offers insights into how losing a parent at a young age has shaped his life and relationships.

Stephanie's story serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing mental health and grief openly. By sharing her experiences, she hopes to encourage others to have conversations about loss and seek support when needed.

 

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Episode Overview
In this episode of the "What About The Children" series, host Rosie Gill-Moss speaks with Otis Middleton, who shares his experience of losing his father to cancer at the age of seven. Otis discusses the impact of his father's death on his life, his feelings surrounding the loss, and the importance of open conversations about grief.

Key Discussion Points
Childhood Memories: Otis reflects on his close relationship with his father and shares memories of visiting him in the hospital, highlighting the innocence of childhood during such a difficult time.
The Day of Loss: He recounts being taken out of class to be informed of his father's death, describing his immediate emotional response and the confusion that followed.
Support Systems: The episode discusses the support he received from teachers and friends at school, including how his classmates were informed and the kindness they showed him.
Coping Mechanisms: Otis shares how he coped with his grief, including moments of hiding his emotions and the comfort he found in drawing and spending time with family.
Open Dialogue: The importance of discussing feelings and memories of his father is emphasised, as Otis expresses that he is not afraid to talk about his dad and values the memories they share.

Related Episodes in the Series
Jess Yeldon: Discusses her experience of losing her father at a young age and the long-term effects of grief.
Stephanie Dixon: Shares her story of losing her father to suicide and the impact it had on her childhood and family dynamics.
Roisin Aldridge: Talks about her experience of losing her father just before her 10th birthday and the importance of support from peers and family.

Otis's story serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing mental health and grief openly. By sharing his experiences, he hopes to encourage others to have conversations about loss and seek support when needed.

Connect with Us:

• Follow us on Instagram @widowedAF
• Email: theshow at widowedAF.com
• Web: (https://www.widowedaf.com)
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Join Rosie as shares her experience of widowhood and its impact on children. 

In this series  Rosie addresses the critical question:

What about the children?

This series features four guests who have lost a parent at a young age, each sharing their unique perspectives on coping with loss and the support systems that helped them.

Featured Guests:

S2 - EP20 - Jess Yeldon:
Jess lost her father at age 11 and discusses the importance of communication about grief and how it shaped her life.

S2 - EP18 - Stephanie Dixon:
Stephanie shares her experience of losing her father to suicide at 14, highlighting the stigma surrounding mental health and the need for open conversations.

S2 - EP19 - Roisin Aldridge:
At 10, Roisin speaks of  the day her father passed away and how her family has navigated their grief together.

S2 - EP21 -Ottis Middleton:
Also 14, Ottis reflects on losing his father to cancer and the ways he has learned to cope with the loss over the years.

Key Themes:
- The significance of discussing grief and loss with children.
- Strategies for supporting children through their grief.
- The long-term effects of losing a parent and how children can adapt and thrive.

Join Rosie as she explores these important topics, offering insights and resources for parents and caregivers navigating the challenges of grief with their children. 

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• Follow us on Instagram @widowedAF
• Email: theshow at widowedAF.com
• Web: (https://www.widowedaf.com)
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In this episode of Widowed AF, Rosie Gill-Moss sits down with Kassandra McCleary, an American living in Paris who unexpectedly lost her husband to a lung cancer at just 37. 

Their love story began when Kassandra moved to France, where they built a life together, filled with travel, laughter, and a vibrant community of friends. But when her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer, their world changed overnight, further complicated by the isolation of the pandemic.

Kassandra opens up about the intense experience of caring for both a newborn and a terminally ill partner, navigating each day with a strength she never knew she had. From finding unexpected support in friends and neighbours to preserving her husband’s memory for their daughter, Kassandra’s story is one of resilience, love, and the quiet power of community. Rosie and Kassandra’s conversation brings to light not only the heartbreak but also the ways we find hope and connection during life’s most challenging times.

If you’re navigating grief, supporting a loved one, or looking for stories of strength and survival, Kassandra’s journey will resonate with you. Her reflections on balancing motherhood, loss, and the importance of keeping memories alive for her daughter offer powerful insight and inspiration. Join us for this moving episode of Widowed AF, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations about love, loss, and life’s unexpected twists.

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In this episode of Widowed-AF, host Rosie Gill-Moss is joined by Jonathan Gill-Moss to discuss various life updates and reflections.

Rosie shares her experiences hosting a new podcast for Options Autism in a professional studio, highlighting her journey toward increased independence and confidence.

They explore the complexities of managing their children’s disjointed half-term schedules, Rosie’s upcoming trip to  Michigan, and the importance of taking time for personal care. 

The couple also talk openly about the challenges of their blended family, the necessity of honest communication, and the pressures and realities of maintaining a happy marriage. 
Additionally, John reflects on his struggles with grief and therapy after losing his previous spouse.

The episode wraps up with updates on past podcast guests and Rosie’s response to a recent Panorama documentary critical of menopause treatments, advocating for the benefits of personalized care.

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In this episode, Rosie sits down with Sari Overby, a mother from Maryland with a story that balances the joys and heartbreaks of life after a devastating diagnosis. Sari met her husband Ben as a teenager, and together they built a life full of love, laughter, and shared dreams. But when Ben was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, they faced a new reality—one where time was limited but their commitment to each other and their family remained strong.

Sari and Ben didn’t let the diagnosis define them. They bought a house, started a family through IVF, and found ways to continue living life on their own terms. Whether it was savoring simple pleasures like family movie nights or tackling tough moments together, they made the most of their time, all while managing the ups and downs of Ben’s illness.

The episode is a reflection on the choices we make in the face of uncertainty. How do you keep living when you know what’s coming? Sari shares what it was like to balance hope and acceptance, especially as a mother of two young children. She talks about helping her daughter understand loss and how, even in Ben’s final days, there was space for connection and love.

This conversation is about more than loss—it’s about the choices we make to keep living, loving, and finding moments of joy, even when things get hard. It’s an honest, relatable discussion on life’s most difficult moments and the strength it takes to navigate them.

Tune in for a story about family, resilience, and finding meaning in the everyday, even when faced with loss.

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• Web: (https://www.widowedaf.com)
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In the latest episode of Widowed AF, join Rosie Gill-Moss as she sits down with Jackie Rees from Glasgow, who shares her unvarnished journey through grief, love, and enduring connections.

Jackie recounts a story that begins with an unexpected heart condition that leads her into an emotional labyrinth. We follow her and her husband David, whose life was tragically cut short by a congenital heart defect. Jackie talks candidly about their 23 years together—highlighting their shared passion for rock music, their travels to New York, and the life they beautifully built without children by choice, but full of love nonetheless.

Rosie and Jackie discuss intimate moments, including their chance meeting through a Kerang magazine message board and David's touching, albeit unconventional, marriage proposal. But the heart of the episode revolves around the series of medical challenges that David faced, which escalated rapidly, leaving Jackie grappling with their sudden and unpredictable nature.

In navigating her life post-David, Jackie shares the small gestures of human kindness that supported her—care packages from friends, a close-knit support group, and the invaluable bond with David’s family. Through it all, Jackie paints a balanced picture of grief interwoven with moments of hope, friendship, and the conscious decision to keep living a full life.

Listen to Jackie's moving yet triumphant story, reflecting on the realities of widowhood and the unexpected paths it forces one to tread. Her tale is one of resilience and courage, coupled with touching anecdotes that bring a smile amidst tears.

Tune in to understand how she navigated the turbulent waters of loss and found new shores to anchor her life upon.

Join us, subscribe, and be a part of the community that not only listens but also understands and supports.

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• Follow us on Instagram @widowedAF
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Judy Condie’s life was shaped by her deep bond with her husband, Richard, a man she’d known almost her entire life. Their love story wasn’t a whirlwind romance but a slow burn, rooted in shared history and familiarity. They worked side by side, raised children together, and faced the ups and downs of life with a quiet resilience. Richard was her partner in every sense—through decades of shared experiences, he became her anchor. But life, as it often does, threw them an unexpected curveball.

Richard’s diagnosis of colorectal cancer was the moment their world shifted. For eight years, they battled the disease together, a fight marked by Richard’s incredible determination and Judy’s unwavering support. Despite the grim prognosis, Richard transformed into a man of incredible strength—quitting drinking, becoming more active, and finding a new sense of purpose. His fight wasn’t just against cancer but also against the idea of letting it define his remaining days. He became more compassionate, more driven, and more determined to live fully, even as his time grew shorter.

Judy watched this transformation with a mix of awe and heartbreak. Richard’s stoicism meant he kept much of his emotional journey to himself, but Judy understood him in a way that transcended words. They shared dark humour, and when the time came, Richard did open up—just briefly, in the final days—telling Judy all the things she had long known but had rarely heard from his lips. His final days were spent surrounded by love, in the comfort of a place they both cherished, with Judy by his side.

When Richard passed, Judy faced the daunting reality of life without him. The house they had shared felt empty, the life they had built together seemed suddenly vast and hollow. But Judy knew she couldn’t let grief consume her. She needed a plan, a purpose. So she turned to something she had always loved—the open road, the promise of new horizons, and the solitude of nature.

Judy’s journey took her across the world to Australia, where she spent five months travelling, often alone. It was in these moments of solitude, surrounded by the raw beauty of nature, that she began to truly grieve. The beaches, the wide-open skies, and the endless roads offered her a space to cry, to reflect, and to heal. This wasn’t just a trip; it was a pilgrimage, a journey inward as much as it was outward.

Through her travels, Judy found herself again. The sadness didn’t disappear, but it became a part of her story, a story she learned to carry with grace and strength. She learned to cry when she needed to, to let the grief wash over her and then let it go. And in doing so, she began to find peace.

Judy’s story is one of resilience, of the quiet courage it takes to keep living when everything you know has changed. It’s about finding new purpose in the aftermath of loss, about seeking out the light even when the darkness seems overwhelming. Through her journey, Judy shows us that while grief never truly leaves, it can lead us to unexpected places of beauty, growth, and ultimately, hope.

Links From the show :

Caught in a RIPtide. by Judie Connie -  Available on Amazon
The Salt Path by Raynor Win  - Available on Amazon

Listen to the full episode today.

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In this episode of Widowed AF, Rosie and Jonathan Gill-Moss reflect on their recent experience hosting Woodstock, a festival that brought together a community.   What began as a simple idea blossomed into a joyous day full of music, friendship, and celebration. Despite minor hiccups, such as missing stages and toilet issues, the event symbolised more than just fun—it was a testament to the healing power of connection.

Rosie also opens up about personal challenges, from overcoming insecurities around sobriety to regaining her love for dancing, highlighting her journey of self-reclamation. Additionally, as they discuss their children’s back-to-school experiences, Rosie provides a heartfelt message of hope for parents navigating loss, showing that with love and support, even the toughest transitions can lead to growth and happiness.

This episode is a celebration of how life continues to evolve after tragedy and the small victories that make the journey worthwhile.

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Summary:
Welcome to another episode of Widowed AF. In this episode, host Rosie Gill-Moss has a detailed conversation with Geraint Williams, who shares his experience of being widowed and raising two young boys. Geraint discusses his late wife Rosie’s ten-year journey with cancer, the impact on their family, and the adjustments he has made since her passing. The discussion covers their early life together, Rosie's initial cancer diagnosis, treatment, and remission, the decision to have a second child through IVF, her terminal diagnosis, and end-of-life planning. Geraint provides practical insights into managing life with young children during a spouse's illness and navigating the complexities of grief and single parenthood after her death.

Geraint begins by recounting how he met Rosie in 1997 and their life together up to the birth of their first child, Walt, in 2010. In 2012, Rosie was diagnosed with breast cancer, which led to a year of treatment. After a period of remission, they decided to have a second child through IVF, resulting in the birth of their son Rex in 2016. However, in 2017, Rosie experienced a localised recurrence of cancer.

In 2021, Rosie received a terminal diagnosis, with cancer spreading to multiple parts of her body. Geraint explains how they managed this difficult period, including their decision to delay informing their children to preserve their innocence. He details Rosie's end-of-life period, her efforts to plan her own funeral, and the challenges of being a single parent after her death.

Geraint also shares his journey through grief, the importance of counselling, and the specific challenges men face in expressing vulnerability and seeking support. This episode aims to provide insights into the practical and emotional aspects of coping with loss and the importance of open communication.

Guest Bio:


Geraint Williams: Geraint Williams is a widowed father of two boys. His wife, Rosie, battled cancer for ten years before passing away in 2022. Geraint shares his journey of caring for Rosie, raising their children, and navigating life after her death.

Trigger Warnings:

• Discussions of terminal illness and cancer
• Conversations about grief and loss
• Mention of end-of-life planning

Related Links:

• https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame?nolanguage=en 
• Royal Marsden Hospital

Disclosures and Disclaimers: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or psychological advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek professional help for their own unique situations. The views expressed by the guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or its producers.

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• Follow us on Instagram @widowedAF
• Email: theshow at widowedAF.com
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