November Edition, 2014
By Micki Morrison
Realtor
“Meet Herb Knoll”

It will probably not surprise you that in my work as a Realtor, I meet some of the most amazing, interesting and inspiring people on the planet.  From a WWII fighter jet pilot to the mother of eight children who has survived amazing challenges and demonstrated strength and courage throughout it all, each customer and friend teaches me something beautiful about life and the goodness that resides in each and every one of us.

In this month’s edition of “Good News”, I would like to introduce you to a man who has transformed pain and tragedy into purpose and healing while changing the lives of souls in need along the way.  Meet Herb Knoll.

When I first met Herb at a listing appointment in The Villages, I didn’t expect to encounter such an empowering story of transcendence and healing. Herb moved to The Villages shortly after the passing of his beloved wife, Michelle Renee’ Knoll.  Herb, a man with an impressive business background and extensive resources, instinctively went in search for help in dealing with his profound grief.  Certainly someone understood that men and women cope with the loss of a spouse differently and there would be something available which spoke specifically to men about the grieving process.  To his surprise, there was very little help available for widowers and their families.

From his church to the self-help bookshelves of the local Barnes and Noble book store, Herb could not find a resource which would help him, as a man and recent widower, cope and navigate the healing process.  It was then that he decided to turn his personal quest into a book which would comfort and assist other widowers with their grief as well.  The book which is currently being written is titled: The Widower’s Journey

To write Herb’s book, he interviewed forty of what he refers to as Contributing Widowers from across America, representing a wide variety of social, economic and ethnic backgrounds.  The circumstances surrounding the passing of their wives range from tragic auto accidents and being struck by a car, to prolonged illnesses.  One wife died in her twenties when she was deployed by the U.S. Air Force to Afghanistan where she contracted leukemia, leaving three young children behind.   As he interacted with his team a widowers, Herb looked to identify the risks and challenges widowers face and the methods and best practices they used in dealing with them.   And there are plenty of challenges to be dealt with including but not limited to: grief, raising children, careers, relationships with family and in-laws, dating, and some serious health considerations.

Herb also recruited a team of experts who are lending their professional skills to the lessons Herb will be sharing.  Members of this A-Team include two psychologists, a certified financial planner, a Catholic priest, a Rabbi, a clinical psychologist, an attorney and more.  The Widower’s Journey is laced with actionable steps the reader can immediately put to work.  Whether the reader is slowly losing a spouse to Alzheimer’s or has been faced with a sudden and unexpected loss, this book is both a blessing and a comfort.

Reading the personal stories contained in Herb’s latest work will move its readers into a sense of fraternity with those who graciously provided their experiences for their collective benefit.  Finally, men and their friends and families who want to comfort them, have a guide which helps them navigate the unchartered waters of losing a spouse and finding a life renewed in the process. Thank you Herb!

For information on how to order your copy of The Widower’s Journey, you can do so by either contacting Herb Knoll at: 407.878.1514 or visiting Herb’s website: WidowersSupportNetwork.com

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