Rachel Horne, WAY Ambassador
Rachel’s husband Nick died in his sleep in July 2019, at the age of 28. She was 8 months pregnant at the time and spent the following weeks planning his funeral while also preparing for the arrival of their first child.
“When I was first widowed, I couldn't find anyone else who was widowed very young or who was pregnant at the time of their partner’s death,” said Rachel. “I honestly thought I was the only one, until I found the WAY Widowed and Young community.”
“I am delighted to be appointed as an Ambassador for WAY as the charity has really helped me to cope with the loneliness and alienation I’ve felt since my husband died. I've met close friends through WAY who've helped me come back to my life, and I want to be part of making sure that others have access to the support that being a WAY member can bring.”
“I’d like to raise awareness of WAY to those who’ve been widowed very young (35 and under, affectionately known as WAVYs in the WAY community) and/or those with young children, as this journey is so poignant. People in this position will often be attending friends’ weddings, watching friends have children etc whilst their own life feels as though it ended with their partner’s. I feel passionately about raising awareness of WAY and support in this space.”
“I’ve managed to maintain my professional career since becoming widowed, but that hasn’t come without its challenges, and I’d love to help support others juggling challenging careers, parenthood and grief,” added Rachel, who works in marketing.
“I feel the current bereavement support available isn’t sufficient and vehemently want financial support for parents to continue beyond the current 18 months. I plan to champion campaigns to change this whenever possible!”