Success Stories

Helen and Brian met on Chapter 2.

Brian, had been with his wife for over 20 years before she passed away, the same duration as Helen, had been with her husband before he passed away. “I waited around three years before I started to explore again”, Helen says, with Brian’s situation a little more different, “Initially for me, it was four months. My wife had been having active cancer treatment for 14 years, so I lived with everything revolving around hospital appointments. However, looking back it was far too quick, so my initial dating experience didn’t work out.”

They had both separately endeavoured to move forward by using dating apps, and luckily for Helen, she went straight to Chapter 2. However, Brian initially tested out other options, “I tried Match.com, but I soon realised the app wasn’t for me, and I remember the status didn’t even include the option of widowed, just ‘divorced, separated or other’”.

When it comes to the stigma of moving forward after loss, Helen has a supportive family. “My experience has been positive, with friends and family understanding my decision”, says Helen. “My husband passed away 6 months before COVID, which meant I was sheltered for two years. Also, my dad was widowed when he was in his 40’s, so we’ve had a lot of affinities in the family.”

On the other hand, Brian had some bad experiences when he first joined other apps, “People used to ask if my wife was still around, and if I was playing about, which was shocking. I felt like I had to always explain my situation, making it hard to carry on the process.”

The pair knew when they matched, it was different. “It felt so natural, we messaged for a few weeks and hit it off”, said Brian. “I was apprehensive to meet up in person, I even made him wait for three weeks, however I’m so glad I caved in, as the rest is history”, said Helen.

For anyone in Helen and Brian’s situation, and thinking about taking the plunge back into dating, they both can’t praise Chapter 2 enough. Helen says it’s a great way to build your confidence first. “I didn’t want to be sat on my own forever, Chapter 2 is a great way to chat to people who understand your situation.” Brian adds, “If you do decide to get back out there, remember to be safe. Also, your opening line doesn’t have to be ‘I’m a widow’, there’s no pressure if you don’t want to discuss.”