GREENSBORO, N.C. — What many call 'the most wonderful time of the year' can be overshadowed by grief. One Triad couple is sharing their story and using it to help others.
Pastor Benita Mercer-Smith remembers a grief-ridden Christmas — it was triggered by a typical joyous tradition.
"When we all sat down to open gifts and my grandchildren were very young and they were all sitting around, and it was like he loved them so much and we just wished that he could have been a part of seeing them," recalled Mercer-Smith.
She cries for her late husband, who died from cancer.
Pastor Larry Smith has a similar story. He lost his longtime wife to cancer too.
"It was hard for us to even be together although we were together the first Thanksgiving and Christmas and there was a lot of tension because these things normally happen after a death, people want to blame each other or different people," Smith remembered.
Both spent over 40 years with their first spouses and the families they made together. They said the first holiday without is the hardest.
"Personally, I would like for my first wife to be with me, but then I think about it and she's better off where she is, she's not suffering anymore," explained Smith.
The two each spent a few holidays single, until eventually finding their second happy ending with each other.
"I met his daughter and then some of the friends and the family decided that we should be together, and it really did happen," said Mercer-Smith.
Their story proves no matter how hard life can be, happiness is obtainable.
"Don't ever think that you have all the answers because God's plan is going to prevail and everybody who knew me knew I wasn't getting married again, and it's been a great union," exclaimed Mercer-Smith.
Married and in love, they now spend their days leading a grief share as their mission to help others.
The Smith couple leads GriefShare at Destiny church in Greensboro.
GriefShare has a 'Surviving the Holidays' program. People who have lost a loved one and are struggling can search by zip code to find nearby events.