Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

For many women, marriage meant giving up personal choices because their husbands disapproved. But after becoming widows, some found new freedom—doing things they had been denied for decades.

The conversation started when 81-year-old Betty Cartledge went viral for voting for the first time in her life after her husband passed.


"I am going to vote for the first time in my life," Cartledge told Courier Newsroom (@couriernewsroom on TikTok).

She explained that her late husband didn’t want her to vote, and she had never questioned it—until now.

Representative Image Source: Pexels | Element5Digital

A wave of stories follows

After her story spread, other women began sharing the things they finally did after their husbands died.

From getting their first credit card to finally wearing jeans, these stories shocked and inspired thousands.

Here are 23 powerful firsts women experienced when they were finally free to make their own choices.

1. A long-awaited piercing

"When my grandpa died, my grandma finally got her ears pierced."@vinarxb

2. Building friendships again

"When my grandpa died, my grandma suddenly made friends and had cousins."@cloudy.ugh25

media1.tenor.com

3. Reversing years of damage

"My grandpa used to win the deeds to people’s houses gambling, and when he passed, my grandma gave the deeds back in the wives’ names so the men couldn’t gamble it away again."@creolenebulas

4. Raising a glass

"When my papaw died, my memaw had her very first glass of wine the next day."@_sleslie

Representative Image Source: Pexels | Pixabay


5. A sweet act of defiance

"When my great-grandfather died, the first thing my great-granny did was bake a strawberry cake. He was allergic to strawberries."@cailin.98


6. Free to express herself

"My papaw didn’t want my mamaw wearing lipstick because he thought it would attract men’s attention. When he died, she wore lipstick all the time."@alliewink1072

media1.tenor.com

7. Packing up and leaving

"My grandma had her bags packed before my grandpa was in the ground. She got her own apartment and ditched her house. You never know what is really going on."@rubyjune21

8. Embracing natural beauty

"My grandpa died and my nana started wearing her natural hair."@lavender.in.the.rain

9. Living life on her terms

"When my father passed away, my mother wore makeup for the first time, got several tattoos, and lived an amazing life! She was only 15 when she was married. My father was 22!"@franklinpiercy2

media1.tenor.com

10. The ultimate act of defiance

"My mother-in-law wasn’t allowed to buy patio furniture, so she got six sets and put them all over her yard after her husband died. The resentment is real."@user7616

11. Her first financial freedom

"My grandma had no credit score at age 76. She was never allowed to have anything in her name. At 76, she proudly got her first credit card."@b__mcmohan

12. A life without limits

"My neighbor’s dad died and she said her mom didn’t shed one tear, went on vacations, wore the clothes she wanted, and lived a grand life for 20 more years."@producermama

media1.tenor.com

13. Learning to read at last

"My grandma learned to read and write after my grandpa died. She died only being able to read and write at a 1st-grade level."@snowykitsune21

14. Finally, a choice of her own

"When my grandpa died, my grandma put a window in the living room and went to Jamaica. I wonder now if she ever voted."@brandalah44

15. Free to grow her hair

"My dad didn’t let my mom grow her hair out. If it wasn’t the length he liked, he would cut it himself. When he died, she grew it down to her shoulders."@mountaingirl7771

16. No more unpaid labor

"My grandma mourned for a few months. Then she called the hospital where she’d been volunteering for 30 years and turned it into a paid position. He wouldn’t let her earn her own money."@goombaw99

media1.tenor.com

17. Chasing her dreams

"When my great-grandpa died, my great-grandma was in her 40s and was finally able to go to college and work as a nurse because he didn’t let her."@belle4192

18. The vacation she always wanted

"My grandfather was a horrible man. When he passed, my grandma took the insurance money and went on vacation with her sister and my mom to Hawaii for two weeks."@floridacarol

19. Learning to drive

"When my grandpa passed, my grandma got her driving license and a job."@feliciamorrowjack

media1.tenor.com

20. Buying her first pair of jeans

"My grandma wasn’t allowed to wear jeans. One of the first things she did was buy jeans."@kimberleybleeker

21. Finally, her first tattoo

"My grandma always wanted a tattoo, but my grandpa didn’t want her to do it. When my grandpa passed, she got a big forearm tattoo."@queenofcarrotflowers87

22. A long-awaited purchase

"Not even 24 hours after my grandpa died, my grandma bought her first television. In 1992."@heyItsjess

media1.tenor.com

23. Color returns to her life

"Grandma-in-law always wore black until her husband died. Since then, full-blown crazy color!"@brynseycarm


More For You

Woman demands store clerk take less money for her groceries. Her husband wasn’t having it.
Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Rollz , Reddit | u/Lifeneedslubricant

Woman demands store clerk take less money for her groceries. Her husband wasn’t having it.

Entitlement can lead to some truly baffling behavior, and one woman at a local convenience store proved just that. Reddit user u/Lifeneedslubricant shared a story about an over-the-top grocery store encounter, where a woman demanded to pay less than her total bill—and expected the clerk to just accept it.

Instead of backing down, the quick-witted cashier stood firm. But the real twist came when the woman called her husband for backup—and he wasn’t on her side at all.

Keep ReadingShow less
Passenger unknowingly reads author's book while sitting right next to him on plane
Representative photo by Canva

Passenger unknowingly reads author's book while sitting right next to him on plane

Being an author comes with many joys, but few match the incredible experience Joseph Fasano recently had on a flight. The American poet and novelist found himself seated next to a passenger who was engrossed in his latest book, "The Swallows of Lunetoo," entirely unaware that the author was sitting just inches away.

Surprised by the surreal encounter, Fasano quickly documented the event on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a photo of the book in the passenger’s hands and asking his followers what he should do next. One follower humorously suggested he whisper, "Is it better than the last one?" into the woman's ear.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tow truck driver gets ultimate revenge on rude teen neighbor after party blocks her driveway
Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Mike Bird; Reddit | u/carbonlandrover

Tow truck driver gets ultimate revenge on rude teen neighbor after party blocks her driveway

Most neighborhoods have rules that should be followed, but some people feel entitled to ignore them. That’s exactly what happened when Reddit user u/carbonlandrover, a tow truck driver, encountered her teen neighbor’s wild party—and got completely blocked in by their guests' cars.

She warned them in advance, but when they ignored her and insulted her, she taught them a lesson they’ll never forget.

Keep ReadingShow less
“You make people want to live longer”—Jennifer Coolidge’s tribute left viewers sobbing
Image Source: NBC News

“You make people want to live longer”—Jennifer Coolidge’s tribute left viewers sobbing

Jennifer Coolidge remains a memorable figure not only for her role as Tanya in HBO's acclaimed series "White Lotus," but also for her emotionally stirring acceptance speech at the 2023 Golden Globes. Coolidge earned the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series/Anthology or Motion Picture, a recognition that marked a significant career turning point.

Winning the award wasn't Coolidge's only standout moment at the event; her heartfelt speech profoundly touched both audiences and peers, even bringing creator Mike White to tears, as reported by The Vulture. Reflecting candidly on her personal journey, Coolidge stated, "It really means a lot. Thank you. Wow. I just want to say, some of the people in this room, there were like five people that kept me going for, you know, 20 years with these little jobs. And Ryan Murphy, you were one of them. It’s these little jobs that kept me going."

Keep ReadingShow less
Identical twins separated at birth had dramatically different IQs in Korea and US
Representative photo by Canva

Identical twins separated at birth had dramatically different IQs in Korea and US

Twins typically fascinate us because of their incredible similarities. But sometimes, what makes identical twins truly intriguing are their surprising differences. A recent study in Science Direct highlighted exactly this, following the astonishing reunion of identical twin sisters separated as toddlers and raised in completely different cultures.


Keep ReadingShow less