I Was Widowed at 31 After My Husband Took His Life—There Was No Warning
Lisa Marshall was widowed at 31 when her husband Alan died by suicide without any apparent warning, leaving her to raise their three children alone. She struggled with shock, guilt, and complex PTSD, initially avoiding grief before finding support through counseling and online communities. By sharing her story publicly, she aims to help others and process her loss while navigating life as a single mother.
- ▪Alan, a dentist and father of three, died by suicide on March 7, 2023, after going to work as usual.
- ▪Lisa found no warning signs or note, and she missed a phone call from Alan an hour before his death.
- ▪She was diagnosed with complex PTSD and began healing through therapy, support groups, and sharing her journey on social media.
- ▪Lisa now speaks openly online under the handle @the_widowdiaries to help others facing similar grief.
- ▪She encourages emotional expression in her children but does not take them to visit Alan’s grave.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
By Alyce CollinsLife and Trends ReporterShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.By Lisa Marshall, as told to NewsweekPeople always ask me if there were any signs leading up to my husband’s death, but the truth is, there were none. He went to work as normal that day and never came home.I was putting our three children to bed on March 7, 2023, when the door went. I presumed Alan must have finally got back from work, but when I saw police officers waiting outside our home in Scotland, I knew something terrible happened.Alan and I met in a club in 2011, and we got married in 2016. We had so many happy years together and welcomed two sons and a daughter.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Newsweek.
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