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By Gael Garbarino Cullen

Owning Grief

Widowed Young, How I Discovered Gifts in Loss

In Owning Grief, Gael Garbarino Cullen describes her refusal to let the sudden death of her 40-year-old husband destroy the very fabric of her young family’s life and legacy.

 

Her intensely personal and moving memoir tells of the irony of finding gifts amid horrific loss, gifts that would later prove invaluable as she battled cancer, recovered from a crippling bicycle accident, and dealt with all the twists and turns that life inevitably throws our way.

 

This is more than a story of surviving an unspeakable loss. It’s a story of discovery, resilience, and determination.

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Author Gael Garbarino Cullen

Coming Event

Recent Public Presentation

The trailer videos below offer a brief glimpse into the author's content and presentation style at a recent public event. These clips were taken from the full video, which can be viewed on her Vimeo site with the password she will be happy to share as described below.

If you are interested in booking Gael for a speaking engagement with your group, please reach out to her at owninggrief@gmail.com. She is happy to arrange something with you.

Want More Hope?

Watch the Full Video Presentation On My Vimeo Site

Just send me an email, and I'll send you the Vimeo link and a password that will let you watch the complete presentation.

 

My email address is:      owninggrief@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you. 

- Gael   

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What People Are Saying

 "Every life has a story, so grateful this brave woman honestly shared hers...the strength and vulnerability of a family tragedy is a lesson and inspiration we all learn from and embrace.”

Kathy W.

In The Media

Interview on WISN 12, Milwaukee

Reviews

Sanchez

This book is a gift.
As soon as I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.

I felt so connected to every part of this memoir, and it is not just because I have experienced loss myself with the sudden passing of my dad. It captures the grief experience in such rawness, such honesty.

This book will help many people see grief through the eyes of a single mother, which has already helped me understand my mom’s experience a little better. I look forward to her reading this book, knowing it will resonate loudly and make her feel understood.

Natalie K. Sanchez, Author – The Language of Loss

Radowski

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A resource and inspiration
to anyone who has lost a loved one.

It unflinchingly takes readers through the long and inevitably difficult stages of grief – and yet offers hope that the future can be yours again.

 

Most meaningfully, it shows that faith, support, and resiliency can bring you a new definition of self.

Steve Radowski, Grieving Parent

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Higgs

I am so happy
this will be available to other widows.

I have worked with many who would benefit by learning how the author owned her grief after the sudden death of her husband and then directed that grief into strength to meet the challenges of single parenthood for her precious girls.

 

Owning Grief is a lesson and an inspiration in overcoming adversity, achieving resiliency, and growing from our shared grief, told in a straightforward and captivating way.

Judy Higgs, MA Counseling Psychology and Co-coordinator, Parish Widows’ Ministry

Recent Reflections

For archive of Reflection posts, CLICK HERE

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Copyright © 2025 Gael Garbarino Cullen   All Rights Reserved

Photographs on this website are provided courtesy of Bob Gregory, Michael Williams, and the family of the author. All rights remain with the contributors.

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