'At 4am on a Sunday morning, I faced the worst moment of my life'

The Manchester Evening News has a series featuring inspiring stories of people overcoming extreme trauma. In this tale, Natalie Bolton recounts the tragic sudden loss of her husband Jonathan on Mother’s Day 2021. After a night where he felt unwell, he passed away unexpectedly from cardiac arrest, despite having regular health checks. The aftermath was a blur for Natalie; she struggled with daily life, grief, and PTSD while supporting her twin daughters, who processed their loss differently. With the help of friends, therapy, and support groups like Cruise and The Widowed Collective, Natalie found a way to cope and cherishes memories of Jonathan as a loving father. They’ve since escaped painful holidays, initially running off to Mauritius for Christmas. Now, determined to honour Jonathan’s memory, she plans to host Christmas with family, launching the #WidowedAtChristmas campaign alongside other widows to provide support during the tough festive season. Natalie’s heartfelt advice to others in grief is to seek help and embrace emotional honesty, recognising that life will never be the same but can still bring happiness. For details on the support group, visit The Widowed Collective online.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News