Planet Widow: A Mother's Story of Navigating a Suddenly Unrecognizable World

One of the most stressful and traumatic events a person can face is the death of a spouse. It happened to Gloria Lenhart suddenly when her husband Nick, only forty-four years old, dropped dead while jogging. Planet Widow is the story of her struggle to negotiate motherhood, family, and career in a world that is suddenly unrecognizable. Serving as both a comfort and a cautionary tale, this powerful story helps answer real-life questions about coping with loss, as well as how to prepare for the unthinkable.

Perhaps Lenhart’s biggest challenge is finding ways to help her sons cope with the loss of their father. Even before the funeral is over, Lenhart must fight for custody of her husband’s son, sixteen-year-old Nikolaus, whom she’s been a mother to for more than ten years. And like many widows, Lenhart finds herself faced with difficult financial realities as she is drawn into the realm of estate lawyers, probate courts, and unscrupulous stockbrokers.

Planet Widow is a personal story of spunk and determination, told with a touch of humor. The book ends on a note of hope—that a loss experienced and survived can lead to a fuller understanding of what it means to live.