JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When you hear the word widow you probably imagine an older woman mourning the loss of her husband, but a widow can be any age. Two years ago Lindsay Goodwin's husband, Wade, 39, died, leaving her a widow at age 34.
She is now the founder of a nonprofit group for young widows. She started the group in May, because of her own personal tragedy.
"Basically you are cheated a lifetime with your loved one. You're a person and in your 30s. You're supposed to grow old together, and it doesn't happen," Goodwin said.
She said when her husband died it rocked her world.
"(It was) complete devastation, loss, just not knowing my next move. It was rough, I had a good support group, but of course they just didn't understand," Goodwin said.
She said it's the little moments that get her by, like when she accepted Wade's masters degree for him at the University of North Florida. He died just two months before graduation.
Another young widow is Amanda Flynn, who lost her husband, Stevie, just eight months ago.
Her husband will be honored at Jacksonville University's homecoming as a recipient of the Scott Amos Award for Young Alumni of Distinction.
Flynn does our News4Jax weekend pet project segment. She and her husband were animals activists. She was just 30 years old when her husband died.
"We did everything together. Even now I'm still trying to follow in our footsteps, and it's just not the same," Flynn said.
Flynn's husband died unexpectedly and their family lives out of state.
"This journey has been awful. I mean the first thing I said is, 'Who do I have to talk to? I don't have anyone to relate to," said Flynn.
She said Stevie's death has changed her and she hopes now to help others going through the same hurt.
"Honestly my whole outlook on life changed. I realized life is precious and don't sweat the little things. If I was having a bad day before, I think back and was like that wasn't a bad day, I was just overreacting," Flynn said. " Now when I think I'm having a bad day, I'm like the worst thing in my life already happened, so I just need to go with the flow."
The nonprofit group to help young widows cope with their loss is called My Angel Wade.