When the holidays come around, the winter cheer can be difficult for people who have lost a loved one to cancer. Bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman, whose wife Beth died over the summer after a battle with stage 4 lung cancer, is ringing in the winter with photos she took of their shared life in the snow.
“VISITOR TO OUR HOUSE, IN COLORADO,” Dog wrote alongside a beautiful photo of a dear walking up to a snow-covered pine tree. In a poignant addition, he shared that his wife had snapped the photo, “Taken by Beth.”
Read MoreSupporters commented to let Dog know how moving they found the image, “Wow!! I wish I could time travel, or expedite myself there at that moment.”
Some shared in Dog’s memory of Beth through the photo of the woodland creature. “So beautiful! It’s Beth’s spirit,” one commented. “Beth in spirit checking on you,” wrote another. And one supporter related her own experience with deer after a loved one passed, “I definitely believe it's Beth passing by. The day my mother died we had 3 deers [sic] in our yard. I knew it was my mom [heart].”
The post was coupled with another post depicting a view from their Colorado house of snow-covered rooftops and trees with mountains in the distance, the photo also taken by Beth.
“A PHOTO BETH TOOK FROM OUR HOME IN COLORADO LAST WINTER,” Dog wrote alongside the wintery scene.
Supporters were able to feel the poignancy in this post as well. “Its beautiful.. Thank you. We miss her too. #DogPound #alohaoemrsdog.” They expressed their appreciation for her perspective, “I'd love to see that first thing in the morning. She chose a beautiful scene. [heart].” And wished her well on the other side, “What a gorgeous capture. I love her perspectives & that viewpoint. Rest in [peace sign] sweet angel.”
Finding a Way Forward after Losing a Loved One to Cancer
SurvivorNet has spoken with many people who have lost a loved one to cancer about how they cope. Doug Wendt spoke to SurvivorNet about his wife Alice, for instance, who he’d been married to for 25 years. Alice died of ovarian cancer, and losing his wife, he says, has been so hard. She was a light in his life, and he seems to glow speaking about how the clients at the business they ran together loved working with her. He explains to SurvivorNet that he'll never really get over losing Alice, but he does hope to move forward.
Doug Wendt on losing his wife Alice to ovarian cancer, and finding a way forward.
"We're never gonna move on, I don't even think I want to move on, but I do want to move forward," Doug says. "That's an important distinction and I encourage anybody who goes through this journey as a caregiver and then has to face loss, to think very carefully about how to move forward."
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