Hi, I’m Jen. In May 2024, I became a widow.
My husband and I were on a dream trip to Greece when, on the fourth night of our vacation, he unexpectedly had a heart attack and died in our hotel room. I came home alone, a widow, suddenly responsible for navigating grief, logistics, and the emotional fallout of a blended family trying to make sense of something senseless. That loss broke me open, but it also stripped life down to its truth: connection is lifesaving. I had already weathered divorce, blended family challenges, heartbreak, and addiction in my orbit – but widowhood brought a level of loneliness nothing prepared me for. What helped wasn’t clichés or advice; it was real conversations with real people who understood.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
— Maya Angelou
I decided I would not grieve in silence. I would tell my story as it is…raw, honest, and human …so others wouldn’t feel so alone in theirs. That calling became It’s Lifey and HopeHub, a community for widows who crave connection, compassion, and a place to land when everything feels heavy.
Through virtual support groups, expert-guided conversations, healing retreats, and one-on-one connection, I’m building the thing I desperately needed: a home for widows to feel seen, supported, and surrounded.
Because loneliness is brutal—but community heals. And that’s the heart of everything I do.
Jen Newberg, Founder
Jen is a communications and partnerships executive, both in the for-profit and non-profit space, with experience leading mission-driven campaigns for brands like T-Mobile, Purina, Dove, Planet Fitness and more. Her superpower is connecting people, and she specializes in building authentic, value-based connections. Drawing from her own journey through life transitions, and more specifically the loss of her husband in 2024, Jen founded It’s Lifey – to ensure that no widow ever has to feel alone. She believes there’s no playbook for life – but with community and shared experience, we can find our way through.