PBS Blended Families Episode with Whitney Reynolds Show Featuring AJ Coleman
In this episode, AJ Coleman is asked about the unique dynamic of being a widower and a stepfather. He shares wisdom in parenting after loss and coping with grief while raising a young daughter. Parenthood, dating after loss, and the unique bond that blended families share and more are discussed in this segment.
You can watch the whole episode here: The Whitney Reynolds Show | WRS | Blended Families | Season 5 | Episode 4 | PBS
“Were you able to see past where you were in that moment, or were you stuck in time?” -Whitney Reynolds
“Looking back, I really think I was just stuck in time. I didn’t want to address the unknown.” -AJ Coleman
AJ Coleman shares his personal journey of what is was like when his wife Cory was battling cancer shortly after their daughter was born. He gives wisdom from becoming a widower at the young age of 33 and what it was like raising a one-year-old daughter on as a single father.
The interview shifts focus to his life now as a stepfather and the process of dating again after loss and being part of a blended family.
“What advice would you have for being a stepfather?”-WR
“Just be patient. There is a lot of moving pieces when it comes to blending a family…”-AJ
In addition to his insight on blending a family and becoming a stepfather, AJ tells of how he became an author inspired to write Keep Those Feet Moving: A Widower’s 8-Step Guide to Coping with Grief and Thriving Against All Odds. Overcoming his own challenges such as a hearing impairment, struggling with anxiety, job losses and how his resilience through it all continues to motivate thousands of people all over the world. AJ has been featured on dozens of podcasts and sits on the board for the National Widowers Organization, a virtual toolkit for men coping with the death of a loved one. Learn more about NWO here.
AJ met his current wife, Tracy, growing up together in the same neighborhood. The familiarity in their companionship helped AJ heal after losing his first wife, Cory, to brain cancer. Before getting married, Tracy, had two girls from a previous relationship and AJ had his daughter. Together they are raising their three daughters, watching them grow up together into high school and now college. While no two blended families are identical, AJ shares wisdom on being a stepfather that many other in the role of stepdad can relate too. He encourages stepfathers to be patient. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to blending a family and not everyone responds to the shift the same. It’s important to remain focused on supporting each other and have a mindset of working together to grow forward embracing the family as it is without comparison to what it might look like for someone else.
“The blended family is really about moving together forward.” -AJ
After navigating through the loss of his late wife, Cory, AJ opens up about how his family now looks. The dynamic has changed for him and his daughter but also for his wife and twin stepdaughters. Together, the family of five is strong and supportive of each other, embracing the unique characteristics of moving forward together.
How to Watch The Whitney Reynolds Show
The Whitney Reynolds Show is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Check out more from Whitney Reynolds at www.whitneyreynolds.com
Whitney Reynolds Show