Widow and widower asked by their dying spouses to get married again blessed with a 'miracle'
Second chances are often welcomed by people but when it involves moving on after a loss, many hesitate. After the death of their loved ones, many people wonder if they would find the same bond and affection in new partners. Jason and Kirsten Clawson also faced a similar dilemma, per TODAY. When they both lost their partners to cancer, the two were unable to even glance at the idea of being in love again. However, fate had renewed plans for the two with an added 'miraculous' blessing. With two teen sons and a whole life to carry on after his wife Valerie, Jason wasn’t sure how to go on.
He described all of the dates that followed as “disastrous.” Despite his dying wife making him promise to marry again, it was challenging for Jason to even try. "It was clear I wasn’t ready for a relationship. I’d just cry and talk about how much I missed her,” he recalled. To help grieve healthily, he and his sons started distributing “Sunshine baskets" to those who had experienced loss. Soon, Jason became a ray of hope for many widowers, including Kirsten. Kirsten had lost her husband Cody a year after Jason lost Valerie.
The duo found that their grief had much in common, starting with both their partners passing away due to cancer. Both had passed away within 9 months of their respective diagnosis. Kirsten couldn’t help but appreciate Jason’s efforts. Being able to relate to his grief, she was moved by how strong he was and continued to be supportive of others. Things were equally tough for Kirsten after her husband’s passing. Her friend got her to reluctantly create a dating profile but she still insisted on staying out of it. “You’ve got to be open to the idea of finding love again,” her friend insisted.
After having horrible experiences with love before Cody, she didn’t want to step back in the game without him. However, her husband ensured he’d get her to move on. “He said, ‘I’m gonna get to the other side and I’m going to find you a family that needs you,’” she remembered. After befriending each other on Facebook and then matching on the dating app, Jason and Kristen poured out their hearts about sharing the same pain. Jason recalled their first date where he felt an “instant connection” after comforting Kirsten. “He recognized how nervous I was and gently grabbed my arm and held it and I immediately calmed down,” she explained. Two months later, the duo married. Keeping more than a piece of their partners in their hearts and homes, the duo could find no better way to move on.
"Valerie and Cody are always with us," Jason said. The couple even welcomed a baby girl despite Kirsten’s previous problems with pregnancy and they guess that it’s the doing of their wonderful partners from above. “The way she’s mended our hearts, especially the boys, it just had to be orchestrated celestially,” Kirsten said of their daughter. Running “Life after Grief” together, the duo continues to spread hope. “I don’t think we ever lose grief, I think it just loosens its grasp. There is still life to be had, and there are miracles. There is still joy to be experienced after tragedy and we are proof of that,” Kirsten believes.