An incredible Laois woman who channelled her grief into something positive for thousands of people is set to appear on the Late Late Show tonight.
Ballinakill woman Colette Byrne launched widow.ie after the loss of her husband Peter Byrne.
Peter was killed at the age of 32 in a road accident in Wolfhill, Laois, in August 2008. Their daughter was only three years old at the time.
Widow.ie is an online self-help resource where widows, widowers and bereaved life partners can all contribute.
Her first Christmas without her husband was spent both grieving for him and learning how to setup a website. Now, up to 200 people a day visit the forum.
She picked up the ‘Everyday Hero’ prize at the Rehab awards last year.
Speaking to Midlands 103, Colette says she wants to encourage people to understand it’s okay to grieve.
She said: “It is normal, the pain that you go through. Because you do doubt yourself.
“You wonder, ‘Oh my God, what is going on?’ and you are also afraid as well.
“You are afraid of the next thing. There is fear and there is loss and sorrow.
“So just to know from others that yes, you can survive this, life does get better.
“It will be slow, but that is ok. It is ok to grieve, ok to feel those emotions.”
Widow.ie is open 24/7 to all ages and there is nearly always someone coming and going at different times of the day and late evenings.
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