Stacy Ryan’s powerful story is a testament to Love, resilience, and the human capacity to heal after profound loss. Her journey began with her own Cancer diagnosis at 45, which she survived, followed by her husband John’s battle with cancer that ultimately claimed his life in December 2020. Throughout their cancer journey, they demonstrated an extraordinary partnership, supporting each other with deep love and commitment, facing each challenge together with grace and vulnerability.
After losing John, Stacy chose to honor his wishes by living her life to the fullest. She channeled her Grief into creative pursuits, writing a three-book series about her experiences and launching a podcast focused on her journey through widowhood. Her commitment to healing and personal Growth led her to unexpected places, including finding love again with another Widower named John, with whom she is now building a new life. In a beautiful tribute to her resilience, she is also preparing to open a Yoga and wellness studio in the fall, continuing to pursue her passions and create meaning from her experiences.
What makes Stacy’s story particularly inspiring is her approach to grief and the healing process. She refused to be defined by her loss, instead choosing to embrace joy, laughter, and new opportunities. Her message is clear: there is no single path through grief, and it’s possible to honor past love while creating space for new love and experiences. Her journey demonstrates that life can be “brutally beautiful”—filled with profound pain, yet also incredible hope and renewal.
About Stacy:
Stacy Ryan embodies resilience, completing an Ironman at 36, surviving cancer at 45, and navigating widowhood at 52. These experiences fuel her work as a self-published author and podcaster, where she shares her journey of life, love, and loss, aiming to help others on similar paths. Her diverse career, from corporate HR to fitness director, laid the foundation for her current endeavors. Her podcast, “My Whole New Life,” launched in 2023, followed by her “Whole New Life” three-book series in 2024. Stacy finds joy in motivating others to pursue what resonates with them, whether it's achieving a fitness goal or writing a book, reflecting her belief that anything is possible. Outside of work, she enjoys cycling, yoga, and time with friends and Family, creating lasting memories.
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Known since childhood as “The Elliott Girls” or simply, “The Girls”, it makes sense that we work together to support our mother, and each other. Our trio begins with Jenefer Jane “JJ” who was and always will be “in charge”. She’s the peacekeeper. The responsible one, ensuring Natalie and Emilie remain alive. Next is Natalie, the middle child, who was and always will be Miss Congeniality. She’s the athlete. The rebel responsible for three babysitters exiting the summer of ’84. Then there is Emilie, the youngest, who was and always will be “the baby”. At 6’1”, she is the sensitive and quiet soul. The one responsible for the guinea pig that begged for lettuce and the stray dog we adopted from the bus stop.
After high school we went separate ways, from New Mexico to North Carolina. JJ would go on to get her Master’s in Business Administration and work in the finance world before partnering with her now husband, Dexter, to run a variety of businesses. Natalie would go on to get her Master’s in Social Work degree, and work in the mental health field, advocating for children and families to receive the most appropriate services. Natalie would marry and divorce early on but later marry Jason. Emilie would exit college early to marry and gift us with Owen and twins, Maxx and Natalie Jane aka “The Kids”. Emilie would later divorce and work with county government, focusing much time on caring for the kids.
The source of the sisterhood falls to Jim aka “Big Jim” and Connie, small town high school sweethearts married for almost 40 years.
In 2005, at the age of 52, mom would be diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She hid the disease for years behind dad’s 6’2” frame. The tremors and sudden inability to move were both calmed and steadied by his arm and simple presence. He was her rock. Our rock. Close family and friends knew of her chronic illness, but to the rest of the world, everything was “fine”. Life would turn upside down when our dad unexpectedly passed in 2011 of a massive heart attack at the age of 58. The assumption was Dad would always be mom’s caregiver but that wasn’t God’s plan.
Mom would spend the years following our father’s death desperately seeking a cure for Parkinson’s while trying to manage her symptoms. As the years went by, the cruel symptoms associated with the disease increased, negatively impacting her body while her mind remained clear and in tune. We lived our lives checking in to make sure she was “okay” but knowing the day would come when we had to do more. And then it did. The summer of 2019 changed everything. That’s where the real caregiver story begins for us. Little did we know she would be only the beginning of our caregiving journey.
In March 2022, Natalie’s husband, Jason, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. From the first time Jason detected something off about the swollen lymph nodes in his neck, to the formal diagnosis, and the decision to move to New York City to participate in a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the journey would push them to their limits. The silver lining of his diagnosis was the cancer brought them closer to God, restoring their faith in Him while also experiencing a myriad of blessings through the kindness of family, friends, and strangers. Their story is a testimony that will inspire and offer hope.
