Mission woman shares how she copes with loss on Valentine's Day
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Valentine's Day can be difficult for those mourning the loss of a loved one.
Karen Reid Serna, of Mission, is spending her second Valentine's Day without her husband.
"Last year, I stayed in bed and cried the whole day. It's hard, I miss him terribly," Karen said.
Her husband, Jose, died in November 2023 while she was out of town.
"I got a call from the caregiver that was with him, that he had fallen, and he couldn't get up. I was on the phone with him and all of a sudden he said he couldn't breathe," Karen said.
The couple were married more than eight years. Karen says she misses Jose every day, and on Valentine's Day those feelings are amplified.
"We went to a dinner, and he had a big rose in his mouth, he was so funny," Karen said. "I wanted many more Valentine's Days with him, he was my soulmate."
To help her cope with the loss of her spouse, Karen turned to her faith. Through her church, she found a local grief share support group that offer help and healing after losing a loved one.
"Karen mentioned something about her hubby having a red rose in her mouth. Well, there are a lot of red roses, even if you walk into Walmart," Chaplain Cheryl Ann Young said.
Seeing roses and other reminders can cause pain for people in this situation. Chaplain Young suggests activities, like making a pillow or quilt made out of a loved one's old clothing.
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine Psychiatrist Dr. Alcides Amador explains those who are spending Valentine's Day alone should try to go out where there are other people around.
"You might not talk with them right, but just being around other people or seeing that you're not the only one going around town doing things, because there could be other people that are also just at the library or coffee shop by themselves," Amador said.
He says a healthy way to cope is by honoring your loved one who passed away.
For Karen, she'll light a candle in honor of her late husband.
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