I’m Still Here

Losing a spouse is a profoundly life-changing event that can occur at any stage of a relationship. This portrait series focuses on elderly widows and widowers who have recently lost their partners after over 50 years of marriage. While death at an older age may not be unexpected, it presents unique challenges. Losing a lifelong partner who has been present for all life milestones while residing in the same environment can be overwhelming, and the societal norm of avoiding discussions about the deceased can hinder the grieving process. This project focuses on three love stories and the individual journeys of grief following their spouse's death. (Story is in progress)

“I always called him my rock. I could lean on him and he’s gone. It's hard,” says Barbara Lambert, 85. Five years after her husband Paul’s death Barbara continues to live in the house the couple had shared since 1963 in Cooperstown, N.Y., where Barba

“I always called him my rock. I could lean on him and he’s gone. It's hard,” says Barbara Lambert, 85. Five years after her husband Paul’s death Barbara continues to live in the house the couple had shared since 1963 in Cooperstown, N.Y., where Barbara was photographed on Nov. 6, 2022. “I really feel after he died… like I lost my best friend,” Barbara says, “we had a wonderful happy life, he was a wonderful husband and father.” Continuing to live in the same home after her husband’s death has proved to be one of the greatest comforts for Barbara because of the strong connections the couple had fostered with their neighbors over the years, “they're always checking on me, which is nice… because you're lonely. And it's hard to be alone.”

After being married for 69 years, Joe Marsala, 89, lost his wife, Kat, three years ago. “14 days, she wasn't feeling good and 14 days she was gone,” recalls Joe. After being inseparable since their early teens, Joe has found it hard to adjust to his

After being married for 69 years, Joe Marsala, 89, lost his wife, Kat, three years ago. “14 days, she wasn't feeling good and 14 days she was gone,” recalls Joe. After being inseparable since their early teens, Joe has found it hard to adjust to his new daily life, “she was my brain… I wish she was here to tell me what the hell to do now.” Joe currently finds comfort in spending time with his family and friends, but the void of losing his wife still cuts deep, “people try to make you feel better…and that's okay for that short period of time ​​and then when they leave, you're right back where you started staring at the four walls.” Joe was photographed on Nov. 6, 2022, in the apartment the couple shared for ten years in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Lida King, 91, met her husband of 67 years at a News Year’s Eve party when she was 18. Shortly after, the Korean War forced the two to foster a relationship through letters, “he wrote me back…just don't get married before I come home,” remembers Lida

Lida King, 91, met her husband of 67 years at a News Year’s Eve party when she was 18. Shortly after, the Korean War forced the two to foster a relationship through letters, “he wrote me back…just don't get married before I come home,” remembers Lida. Now three months after her husband’s death, Lida feels like a part of herself is missing, “constantly something enters my head, I want to ask his opinion and then I can’t.” Lida now feels close to her husband by rereading the letters, looking at old photographs, and sharing funny stories with her family. Lida was photographed in the condo she and her husband had moved to in order to be close to their family in Fairport, N.Y., on Nov. 14, 2022.