Finding connection in grief - Anna Lees

What happens when your world changes in an instant and you’re left to navigate grief while still caring for the little people who need you most? In this deeply honest and heartfelt episode, Anna shares her story of losing her husband Chris suddenly in February 2023, while pregnant with their baby and already a mum to a young son. In the months that followed, Anna found herself navigating the intensity of grief alongside pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood – learning how to support her children while holding her own heartbreak. Along the way, she discovered the powerful role that connection can play, particularly through communities like First Light Widowed Support, where she found others who truly understood. This is an episode about solo parenting through grief, the complexity of holding joy and loss at the same time, and the comfort that comes from being seen by people who just get it. Together, Caroline and Anna chat about: • Life with Chris and the family they were building • Experiencing sudden and unexplained loss • Navigating pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood in grief • Supporting young children through the loss of a parent • Finding connection and understanding through the widowed community • Rebuilding, resilience, and finding a way forward Quote that resonates with Anna “Life is short – if you feel like doing it, just do it” About The Widow Diaries A podcast that holds space for the often-unspoken stories of grief, love, and life after loss - especially for those widowed young. Hosted by journalist and widow Caroline Winter and brought to you by First Light Widowed Support.  This is The Widow Diaries: Where no story is the same – and every story matters. Links • Learn more about First Light Widowed Support (https://firstlight.org.au) • Follow First Light on Instagram (  / firstlightwidowedsupport  ) • Like First Light on Facebook (  / firstlightwidowedsupport  ) • Connect with First Light on LinkedIn (  / first-light-widowed-support  ) • Connect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn (  / caroline-winter-5a19369b  )