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Carla always knew she would be a widow but didn’t have any idea how it would actually feel. When Carla met her late husband Jared, he was waiting for a lung transplant due to Cystic Fibrosis, a chronic disease affecting the lungs and pancreas. So she knew that most likely someday she would say goodbye to her husband. But she never dreamt it would be exactly one week before their 14th wedding anniversary. In August 2014, Jared was diagnosed with a rare bacterial infection in his transplanted lung and was expected to survive at least 6 months if not a year. Instead, he died just 6 weeks later. And in the blink of an eye, Carla became a solo mom to their 10-year-old son. And even though her life was forever marked before and after, she was determined to live life to the fullest because her husband would expect no less.

She founded Breathing for Jared, a Foundation to provide college scholarships to those suffering from lung disease in honor of her late husband. Became a supporter of the CF Foundation and Donate Life. And discovered that writing out her emotions and fears on her blog Transplant Wife and Widow helped her to process her grief

Carla recently remarried and is now blending a family with her new husband, bonus daughter, and son.

Recent Posts by this Author

Author Carla Duff

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Grief Hell

by Carla Duff in Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Solo Parenting, Widowhood Journey
May 6, 2022
This week begins what I refer to as our six weeks of grief hell.    Sunday is Mother's Day. Friday is Steven’s 18th birthday. Thursday the 19th is Steven’s high school graduation. Tuesday June 7th would have been Jared’s 45th ...
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Different After His Death

by Carla Duff in Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Widowhood Journey
April 10, 2022April 10, 2022
I am not the same person I was before Jared died. I am not the same person I was the day he died.   I am not the same person I was 6 months ago.   I feel like a mosaic. ...
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My Widowed Journey

by Carla Duff in Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Widowhood Journey
April 5, 2022
The last 7.5 years have been a journey for me.  A journey into grief. A journey of survival. A journey about living. And on this  journey of widowhood there has been much to learn.    I have learned that I'm ...
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My Son Is Thriving

by Carla Duff in Grief, Health and Wellness, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Solo Parenting, Widowhood Journey
March 27, 2022March 27, 2022
When my late husband died, my primary concern was my son. Would he be ok? Would tragedy change him? Who would be there for him when I couldn’t? And eight years later, my son is still my primary concern. And ...
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His Death Changed How I Parent

by Carla Duff in Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Solo Parenting
March 9, 2022March 9, 2022
When my late husband died eight years ago, it not only changed me, it changed the way I parent our son.  My husband and I had always been a team. We double teamed parenting. Bounced ideas off each other. Reassured ...
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Living Again After He Died

by Carla Duff in Coping Mechanisms, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Widowhood Journey
February 28, 2022February 28, 2022
I will never forget the night Jared died.  The night I held him in my arms as he took his last breath.  The night my world changed. Going to bed that night hugging Jared’s pillow. My heart shattered in a ...
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Death Sucks

by Carla Duff in Coping Mechanisms, Grief, Hope for Widows Foundation, Widowhood Journey
February 22, 2022
Death sucks.   There is no nice way to say it. Death SUCKS!!   This week has reminded me of how blessed I am to get live each and every day.  And at the same time it has reminded me ...
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Twist, Curvy Road of Life and the Lessons I Learned

by Carla Duff in Coping Mechanisms, Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation
January 30, 2022
Eight years ago I could never have imagined my life the way it is now. When I married Jared, I knew someday I would bury him. My head knew this. But my heart could never accept it. If my heart ...
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Chatting With My Dead Husband

by Carla Duff in Coping Mechanisms, Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Mental Health, Widowhood Journey
January 22, 2022
My late husband died almost 8 years ago. And in those eight years, whenever there’s something going on, I find myself stopping to talk to him. Oftentimes I will say Jared, we need to chat.    And I truly believe ...
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I Found Myself

by Carla Duff in Grief, Hope and Healing, Hope for Widows Foundation, Relationships and Dating, Widowhood Journey
January 15, 2022
When my late husband died, my world shattered.  Life as I knew it came to a screeching halt.    I had to redefine myself. Figure out who I was as a widowed, solo mom.    And finding my new place ...
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