He Lost His Wife. She Lost Her Husband. Together, They Found a New Beginning

Mike Sullivan and Nancy Jalowiecki had both lost their spouses when they met in 2019 at a grief camp in Pennsylvania. Mike had two daughters, Keeva, 3, and Molly, 5. Nancy also had two daughters, Kaya, 7, and Navah, 5. Mike’s wife, Maria, died at age 35 of breast cancer, and Nancy’s husband, Ed, at age 42, of acute myeloid leukemia.

It was the kids who initially brought the two families together. "The kids bonded almost instantly,” Nancy shared. "Navah came running and said, 'Mommy, we met a friend. Her name is Molly, and she says she lost her mom and that she misses her. And we told her that we lost our daddy and that we miss him."

What a Blessing to Have Found Each Other

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What a blessing to both families to have found friends who understand what losing a parent is like. The weeks then passed, and so did Mike’s affection for Nancy. He even asked his father if it was too soon for him to have feelings for someone new. His father said, “Too soon, says who?” and he is exactly right. Grief is different for everyone. There is no ideal amount of time to wait after the death of a spouse.

A year after they met, Nancy and Mike got married. Although Mike was from New Jersey and Nancy was from the Dominican Republic, they are both in education. She is a pre-K teacher, and he is an elementary school principal.

They Display Photos of Ed and Maria

What’s so special about Nancy and Mike’s relationship is that they are not afraid to share memories of their lost spouses. They display photos of Ed and Maria and speak of and pray for them every day. “There's no us without them," Nancy shares.

Keeva, who looks so much like Maria, even has a memorial of her mom in her room, including her favorite things. She also calls Nancy “mom”, having room in her heart for both women.

They Have a Lot to Share About Life After Loss

The couple has learned so much about going through grief, and they are sharing with others. Nancy wrote a book called Grief and Gratitude. "Some people do not know that grief begins at the diagnosis, not when your spouse passes. It starts when the diagnosis hits the family and turns it upside down,” she shares.

The couple was asked in an interview with CBS Mornings if the grief is worth it.

“Yes!” Nancy says.

“100%, absolutely,” Mike shares.

“A hundred percent. It's what we want our girls to take from all of this — that we are grateful that we had them in our lives for the time that we did,” Nancy adds.

This family has shown what life after loss can be like and how a family can come together after losing so much. Many prayers and blessings to this family.

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“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:8

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h/t: CBS News

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/CBS Mornings