Woman received unexpected photos from her husband showing him at her ex's grave–the reason left her surprised

Losing your beloved is never easy, and while life moves forward, their memory remains a part of the journey. Similarly, a husband found a touching way to show his wife that her past love would always be honored. After losing her first husband, Cody, to leukemia in 2020, Kirsten Clawson (@kirstenclawson on TikTok) found love again with Jason, a widower who understood the depth of her grief. Their journey together has been about honoring the past while embracing the future, but a recent text from Jason showed just how much he understood that balance. Jason had visited Cody’s grave. Clawson shared a screenshot of the conversation, writing, "When your current husband visits the grave of your late husband, making sure you know your first love is never forgotten."

He wrote in the text, "Had some extra time when I got up here and look who I ran into. He said to tell you hi and that he loves you so much. Love you, babe. Thanks for being so great." The message left Clawson stunned. She replied, "Ah, thanks, sweetheart! Tell him hi and that I miss him!" Jason replied, "He didn't stop talking about you the whole time." She and Jason met in a widow and widower support group on Facebook, both navigating the pain of losing a spouse, per Newsweek. Jason's first wife, Valerie, passed away from colon cancer in 2019. Together, they built a new life while respecting the love that shaped them.

Recalling the text, Clawson said, "We go visit Valerie’s grave a lot because it's local to us, but it's hard to get to Cody’s because it’s further away. Jason had a work meeting in the area that day. He got to the area early for the meeting, so he decided to go visit Cody’s grave." She also added, "He knew how much it’d mean to me that he’d stopped by because we can’t get there as often. Because of his loss, he knows how important it is to keep their memory alive." She also said that "to have [Jason] recognize Cody by a simple visit to his grave meant so much."

"Remarriage after loss is not a competition, and it’s not a wash of their memory. Cody will always be a part of my story, which makes him a part of me forever. I am who I am today because of the ways that he changed me while we were together. Jason knows that and honors and respects it," she explained. Her TikTok post went viral, and many praised Jason’s understanding and security in their relationship. @gracefullykelsey_ wrote, "This might be the biggest green flag I have ever seen." @rachiuliucci commented, "'He didn’t stop talking about you' sent me into a spiral. This is beautiful." 

@234567w0 said, "This man is extremely secure in himself and your love for him. This is so beautiful." @mariana_gvf wrote, "How did you win the lottery twice? This is so sweet." Clawson believes the best way to cope with loss is to face it head-on. She said, "You have to feel the emotions. You have to let yourself feel and acknowledge and move through them; otherwise, they sit in your body and bubble up as anger or despair. That's what I do. I allow myself to feel the heavy emotions of losing love and then finding love again. It's not easy."

You can follow Kirsten Clawson (@kirstenclawson) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.