Loss & Transformative Life

E:5 Clarissa Moll

Clarissa Moll is an award winning writer and podcaster who helps bereaved people find flourishing after loss. Her debut book, "Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief and Thriving After Loss" was a best selling new release in 2022. During our engaging interview Clarissa discusses new beginnings after her husband fell to his death in 2018 during a camping trip. The now remarried mother of four shares grief can be very isolating but widows have to show up and keep showing up while "learning life in tension of joy and sorrow".  In the process of understanding sometimes it's stormy all the way to the horizon. Also visit AWG55.com to enjoy more encouraging interviews from more widows.

E3: Christina Napoleon "The Positive Widow"

After the loss of her husband, Christina Napoleon describes her life in two distinct phases: B.C. (Before Cancer) and the challenging period that followed, which she refers to as her time on "Grief Island." During this time, she also mourned the profound loss of both her parents. When existing grief support groups didn’t provide the help she needed, Christina took the initiative to create her own community, eventually founding “The Positive Widow”. Understanding that healing is not always a smooth or joyful process, she developed a four-step Hope Philosophy to guide others. As a certified grief coach, Christina emphasizes that widows can honor their loved ones by carrying them in their hearts with greater love and less pain, using what she calls a “Soul Map” to navigate through the darkness in a society that often struggles with addressing grief. In this episode, she also talked about creating “The Power of One”, which is part of her innovative Grief Relief Program, a safe and supportive Sisterhood she designed to empower widows to move forward with renewed courage and purpose. Christina’s commitment to supporting widows extends to her popular book and Facebook page, both named “The Positive Widow.”

E2: LaTonya Orr Richard

LaTanya Orr is an award-winning brand strategist, certified life coach, and author whose work centers on resilience, healing, and purpose-driven leadership. During our interview, she discusses making joyful plans such as celebrating her husband Jimmy’s 49th birthday. Three weeks later, and within 72 hours, his condition drastically changed. In 2021, LaTanya co-authored the highly acclaimed anthology “A Widow’s Resilience: Moving Forward in Life and Love, After Death Do Us Part,” contributing her voice to a collective of 14 widows redefining life after loss. Her journey offers practical guidance for others experiencing similar challenges.

The Widow

Jill, also known as The Widow on Facebook, recounts the beginnings of her love story with her husband David, which started back in 1998. Being meticulous about his clothes and fingers staying clean the pianist went hiking in California’s Redwoods.  True to his careful nature, Dave tried to avoid getting dirty but slipped while climbing over a fallen tree, sustaining a severe leg injury. Tragically, this accident led to his passing in 2025, leaving Jill widowed. Her grief deepened when she received a package from Dave a week after his death. Jill describes her recovery period including experiencing what she calls “widow’s brain fog,” a condition she believes is a normal response to the emotional trauma of loss. She concludes “Growing around grief means you are never going to finish grieving the rest of your life but you learn to grow yourself in baby steps to encompass and deal with the grief”.