Widow 180 The Podcast with Jen Zwinck
When you become a widow, the heartache can be overwhelming. You feel lost. You feel broken. You feel alone. And you find yourself trying to pick up the pieces of your life and function. But I believe that every widow has the capacity to endure, that every widow has the power to overcome and the determination to create a new life filled with meaning and purpose. The Widow 180 Podcast is about turning tragedy, loss and fear into strength and creativity and a new passion for life. It's about self-reflection and realizing that we only have this one precious life to live and that a new life and a new you is achievable.Each week I will be interviewing widows, incredible survivors of loss. These women have taken the lessons they've learned and the insights they've gained and used them to grow and transform themselves. Some have started businesses, went back to school, run marathons, lost 100 pounds, and moved across the world! They made a choice not to be held down.How did they do it? How did they get through their grief? What's their secret? What lessons can we learn from them that will transform our own lives? How can we write our own story because our story isn't over yet? How can we begin our Chapter 2? I hope that you are as inspired by these women as I am. And maybe hearing even just one story will be life-changing for you.
Widow 180 The Podcast with Jen Zwinck
282. "He Built His Dream in Tanzania — Then I Got the Call" Interview With Gia Ilole
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Gia was 19 when she met Jonas and she loved him almost from the start, even though fate took a few tries to bring them together. What followed was a whirlwind life: a blended family, two kids ten years apart, constant moves, and a marriage built on Jonas's fearless, say-yes-to-everything spirit. His biggest dream was returning to his native Tanzania to build a business, and after the pandemic hit, he finally got his shot — opening a boutique hotel and tour company he poured his heart into.
Then, in April 2024, everything changed. Gia describes the surreal morning she couldn't reach him, the strange phone call from their housekeeper delivering the impossible news, and the disorienting hours that followed as she tried to get answers from thousands of miles away.
She opens up about:
~the altercation that took Jonas's life
~the confusion and misinformation that clouded the early days
~leaning on her widow community during the darkest moments
~carrying a business she never intended to run
~starting Seasons Of Life Celebrations to honor life-changing moments
~the excruciating wait for legal answers that, over two years later, still aren't fully resolved
~finding her footing again while still living inside the unknown
In this deeply honest conversation, Gia shares what it's like to grieve not just a husband, but the future they'd planned together — the "empty nest" chapter she never got to have.
This is a story about love, sudden loss, resilience, and the long, uneven road toward healing.
Find Gia at www.SeasonsOfLifeCelebrations.com.
Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com