As Terri Irwin Copes With Steve’s Death Author, Expert on Widowhood Offers Hope

Terri Irwin in the days following the death of husband Steve is coping by being surrounded by family and the comfort of close friends.

Terri has decided on a private funeral service within a week of Steve’s tragic death by a stingray attack, followed by a public memorial for his fans two weeks later.

Some women, who like Terri Irwin are suddenly widowed, are prepared and able to cope. Most women learn the death of a spouse can be the most disruptive force in their life — an event they are totally unprepared to handle. But they must.

The ABC's of Widowhood (ISBN 1-4107-4725-5 $15.50 - 140 pages, www.abcsofwidowhood.com) is a survival guide by Pat Nowak filled with pearls of wisdom, arranged alphabetically, to help new widows survive the first day and then face each of their tomorrows until building a healthy, productive life.

Nowak's husband was killed in an accident, leaving her instantly alone, saddled with debt, bombarded with questions, required to make decisions, and completely clueless about what it takes to manage personal and family affairs. Then, 18 days later Nowak lost her home in a devastating fire, destroying the last remnant of her sacred sanctuary.

Nowak says these questions need to be addressed as Terri Irwin faces her tomorrows:

 Because Steve’s death was so newsworthy, what can you do to minimize the trauma of seeing it played out in the media?
 Isolationism after a death is a problem. What steps can you take to "help yourself" back to normalcy?
 Sudden death robs a spouse of a chance to say good-by. How do you heal without closure? How do you help your two children heal and what do you tell them?


Nowak offers these tips to Terri Irwin and others who find themselves “suddenly widowed.”
• Plan to get together with friends a month to six weeks after the death and thereafter on a regular basis. You will want to recede into a shell and if you have no concrete plans you are not likely to pursue regular outings.

• The perfect time to reflect on what to do next is right after the funeral. Instead of closing down, open up. Often a widow gets so caught up in grief that she does not realize that there are new opportunities around the corner.

• Ask for what you need. Often new widows refuse to ask for help especially emotional support. People will go out of their way to help if you ask.

• Take time to plan unique things alone with your children. One of the best things you can do as a family is to go away for Christmas which allows family members to grow together and share a new tradition.

• There are unscrupulous people who do take advantage of those who have lost a spouse. Trust your instincts. This is not the time to rush into anything without fully investigating it.


The ABC's of Widowhood, a compelling book that everyone should read before a death occurs, becomes a "must read" when a spouse dies.

The ABC's of Widowhood has been endorsed by The National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved, Ohio Hospice, Pallative Care Organization, The Association of Retired Americans. The book is available at www.borders.com, www.Amazon.com, and www.abcsofwidowhood.com or by calling 888-280-7715.

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For a review book or to arrange an interview with Pat Nowak, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Communications at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090 or cell: 248-705-2214.