The Widow Diaries

Caroline Winter

The Widow Diaries is a heartfelt and honest podcast that explores what life really looks like after losing your person, especially at a younger age. Hosted by journalist and young widow Caroline Winter, each episode shares deeply personal conversations with those navigating the unique, complicated, and often invisible world of grief. Through powerful storytelling and raw reflection, The Widow Diaries honours the messy, beautiful, and courageous ways people rebuild their lives after unimaginable loss. Created by First Light Widowed Support, this podcast is for anyone touched by widowhood, or simply seeking to understand love and loss more deeply. The Widow Diaries: where no story is the same and every story matters.

  1. 1d ago

    Beyond the headlines – Lee Lovell

    What happens when the worst day of your life becomes a news story everyone else is talking about? In this deeply moving episode, Lee Lovell shares the story of losing his wife Emma during a violent home invasion in December 2022. While many Australians know the headlines, Lee offers a different perspective, that of a husband grieving the woman he loved, a father supporting his children through unimaginable loss, and a widower trying to rebuild a life forever changed. As legal proceedings continue, Lee has faced the unique challenge of grieving in public, navigating a justice system that can repeatedly bring trauma back into focus. Through it all, he remains committed to honouring Emma's memory beyond the circumstances of her death. This is an episode about love, loss, resilience, and the people left behind when tragedy becomes a headline. Together, Caroline and Lee chat about: Emma's life, personality, and the family they built togetherThe impact of sudden and violent lossGrieving while navigating the public spotlight and court processSupporting children through trauma and heartbreakThe meaning of justice after lossRemembering the person beyond the headlines and finding hope for the future  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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    56 min

  2. Jun 20

    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 buildingExperiencing sudden and unexplained lossNavigating pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood in griefSupporting young children through the loss of a parentFinding connection and understanding through the widowed communityRebuilding, 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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    50 min

  3. Jun 13

    Returning to work after loss - Kate Nuttall

    What does it look like to return to work after losing your partner, when grief is still sitting just beneath the surface of every day? In this honest and practical conversation, Kate Nuttall shares her experience of going back to work after the sudden death of her husband Tim. Balancing grief, parenting, and professional life, Kate reflects on the emotional reality of those early days, and what it takes to keep showing up when everything inside you has changed. As an HR professional and widow, Kate offers a unique perspective on both sides of the workplace – what support can look like, where systems fall short, and how organisations can better respond to people navigating profound loss. She also shares what it was like to eventually begin a new chapter, while still carrying the memory of the life she had with Tim. This is an episode about grief in the workplace, the pressure to “function” while broken, and the practical, human supports that can make a real difference in returning to work after loss. Together, Caroline and Kate chat about: Life with Tim and the impact of his sudden deathThe reality of returning to work just weeks after lossEmotional and practical challenges of showing up at work while grievingHow workplaces can better support grieving employeesNavigating conversations, boundaries, and difficult questionsBalancing work, parenting, and grief in everyday life Quote that resonates with Kate: “Grief is the profound lasting expression of love after loss” 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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    52 min

  4. Jun 6

    When life comes full circle - Kelli McCombe

    There’s something profound about a life ending on the same date it began, and in the same place it started. In this deeply raw conversation, Kelli McCombe shares the story of losing her husband suddenly on his birthday in 2024 and in Papua New Guinea, the place he was born. A devoted husband, father, and well-known member of his community, his death left Kelli navigating shock, trauma, and an overwhelming new reality. As a registered psychiatric nurse, Kelli understands trauma from a clinical perspective — but here she speaks as a widow living it. She reflects on the disorientation of early grief, the weight of responsibility that followed, and the complexity of trying to function while everything inside her was unravelling. This is an episode about sudden loss, trauma responses, and the fragile early months of grief — and the small anchors of love and support that can sometimes keep you going. Together, Caroline and Kelli chat about: The day everything changed and the shock of sudden lossThe significance of his death occurring in his birthplaceExperiencing grief while also understanding trauma clinicallyMemory, confusion, and early grief decision-makingCarrying responsibility for business and life admin in shockIsolation, support, and finding small anchors to survive each day Quote that resonates with Kelli: “After everything I’ve lost, I still believe there’s beauty in the world and choosing to notice it, is part of how I keep going” 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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    48 min

  5. May 30

    Loving, losing, and being seen - Jonathan Teo

    There’s something about losing your person in a same-sex relationship that can add an extra layer to grief – when love has to be named, explained, and sometimes defended, even in loss. Jonathan Teo shares the story of an ordinary day in October 2023 that turned into the day everything changed. His husband Julian left for work and never came home. A catastrophic brain haemorrhage took him within days, leaving Jonathan to navigate shock, grief, and a life rewritten in an instant. Jonathan’s love story with Julian began online, long distance between the US and Australia, before Jonathan moved to Australia in 2009 where they built a life together. Not two halves, but two whole people who simply fit. This is an episode about sudden loss, identity, and the ways grief is shaped not only by who we lose, but by how that love is seen and understood by the world around us. Together, Caroline and Jonathan chat about: How Jonathan and Julian met and built their life togetherThe day everything changed and the shock of sudden lossLiving with unanswered questions and complex emotionsNavigating grief alongside identity as a Rainbow WidowerThe importance of language, visibility, and recognition in griefHow love continues, and what connection looks like after loss Quote that resonates with Jonathan: “Our grief is as a result for the individual, that if it wasn’t for that love we wouldn’t be grieving them the way that we grieve” 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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    49 min

  6. May 23

    Holding grief and new life - Cassandra Barrie

    What happens when the moment you are preparing to become a mother becomes the moment your world falls apart? In this deeply emotional and honest episode, Cassandra Barrie shares her story of losing her husband while 30 weeks pregnant with their son – where joy and heartbreak collided in the most unimaginable way. In the months that followed, Cass also faced further loss and upheaval that reshaped everything she thought life would look like. Today, she is a counsellor and empowerment mentor who uses her lived experience of grief, motherhood, and rebuilding to support others – bringing honesty, warmth and even laughter into the heaviest moments. This is an episode about the complexity of becoming a mother in the midst of grief, the ripple effects of compounded loss, and the slow, non-linear process of finding your way forward. Together, Caroline and Cassandra chat about: Life with Glen and the future they were building togetherExperiencing sudden loss during pregnancyBecoming a mother in the immediate aftermath of griefThe role of spirituality and meaning-making in her journeyNavigating multiple losses and survival in the early monthsRebuilding identity, finding support, and discovering purpose in helping othersQuote that resonates with Cass: “What you aren’t changing, you are choosing”  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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    46 min

  7. May 16

    From loss to leadership - Annabelle Wilson

    What happens when the story you’ve lived becomes part of the work you go on to do? In this thoughtful and deeply reflective episode, Annabelle Wilson shares her experience of losing her husband Josh, and navigating widowhood and new motherhood while connected to the unique realities of military family life. In the years that followed, Annabelle found herself not only rebuilding her own life but stepping into a role that would allow her to advocate for others walking a similar path. Today, as Australia’s Veteran Family Commissioner, she brings lived experience and professional insight into national conversations about how we support the families behind the uniform. This is an episode about grief and identity, but also about systems, advocacy, and what it means to turn personal loss into meaningful change, while still carrying the love and legacy of the person you’ve lost. Together, Caroline and Annabelle chat about: Life with Josh and the realities of military family lifeNavigating illness, anticipatory grief, and early lossBecoming a widow and a mother at the same timeThe gaps in support for military families after lossStepping into leadership as Veteran Family CommissionerFinding purpose, continuing bonds, and hope for the future Quote that resonates with Annabelle “What if it all works out?” 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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedIn

    55 min

  8. 08/09/2025

    What death taught me about living – Lisa Corduff

    What if grief began long before the goodbye? Lisa Corduff is a speaker, coach, writer, and solo mum, but her journey through grief began years before her husband Nick passed away. As she puts it, “addiction widowed me” and in this deeply honest conversation, Lisa opens up about loving someone through addiction, navigating solo parenting, and the complex grief of losing someone you’d already started to let go of. We explore what Nick’s death taught her about life, identity, and rebuilding from the inside out and how she continues to show up for others with vulnerability, humour and radical compassion.   Together, Caroline and Lisa chat about: How addiction shaped her marriage, motherhood and eventual griefThe tension of claiming widowhood after separationWhat she’s learned about life, love, and letting goHer honest take on solo parenting, identity and strengthGetting unstuck and giving yourself permission to be creativeHow to fill your own cup amid the storm Quotes that resonate with Lisa “No one is waiting at the end of this with a medal for you getting through this the hard way” and “life is a creative act” 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 SupportFollow First Light on InstagramLike First Light on FacebookConnect with First Light on LinkedInConnect with Caroline Winter on LinkedInLearn more about Lisa CorduffListen to Lisa’s podcast This moment in time

    59 min
See All (16)

About

The Widow Diaries is a heartfelt and honest podcast that explores what life really looks like after losing your person, especially at a younger age. Hosted by journalist and young widow Caroline Winter, each episode shares deeply personal conversations with those navigating the unique, complicated, and often invisible world of grief. Through powerful storytelling and raw reflection, The Widow Diaries honours the messy, beautiful, and courageous ways people rebuild their lives after unimaginable loss. Created by First Light Widowed Support, this podcast is for anyone touched by widowhood, or simply seeking to understand love and loss more deeply. The Widow Diaries: where no story is the same and every story matters.

Information

  • Creator
    Caroline Winter
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © First Light Widowed Support
  • Show Website
    The Widow Diaries

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