Many often navigate grief one step at a time mentally, or in the case of the inaugural Widow and Widowers Walk on Tuesday, physically.
After losing her husband, Shawn, six years ago, Bronwyn Fasulkey, president of Four Point Widows and Widowers, decided to create a community that can engage positively while navigating hardships.
“About three years ago, I started the group by just doing a dinner group. I had lost my husband a few years prior to that, and just wanted a way to get out of the house and meet people. I figured some of the grief groups were making me really sad, and I wanted to do something different. There are people like me who just want a community,” Fasulkey said. “Every year, there’s an International Widows Day, and I always thought because I love being outdoors — nature was healing for me during my grief — I wondered if a walk would be kind of fun to do.”
Taking a couple of months to plan, Fasulkey’s plan included walking on International Widows Day, an observance held on June 23 annually, near Bridgeport to honor the loved ones lost.
“This walk was a way for us to remember everyone and support each other by doing something fun and getting outside. Living in Santa Clarita, we have such a great community with the walking paths, so I figured why not just do it here? My vision is to create a safe space for everyone to still be able to laugh, and create a safe space for us to figure this out together,” Fasulkey said. “A lot of grief groups can feel heavy and sad, especially the first few months, but we want to feel like there’s more than that — like we can get past that and still be happy.”
Connie Froeberg, who lost her husband, Doug, in 2024, reflected on Fasulkey’s efforts in supporting the group.
“She is absolutely amazing with us widows and widowers. She lost her wonderful hubby six years ago, I lost mine two-and-a-half. I love [this group] because we all have a lot of things in common, and we can support each other when we need it. She’s the best,” Froeberg said.
Reaching out to local churches and widow programs, Fasulkey is excited to see the growth of the nonprofit in the near future.
“If anyone needs a community, we are around. You can find us on our website where all the dinner meetings are and other events we’re hosting. We just became a nonprofit, and we’re looking for support, and for people who see our vision and want to help us on this very lonely road. There aren’t a lot of government programs that help widows and widowers, and unfortunately there’s a lot of us, so that’s why I created this group — to try and help us get back on our feet,” Fasulkey said. “It’s been very fulfilling for me, and I know it helps a lot of people. It helps me, as well.”
For more information, visit www.fourpointwidows.org.
