When grey nomad Robert King lost his wife, Pam, to cancer seven years ago, his world fell apart.
The couple had been living on the road for 14 years when, at the drop of a hat, everything changed and Robert found himself alone … and consumed with grief.
He cried himself to sleep for months, and says the sheer loneliness was simply overwhelming.
“The shock of it all and the speed still haunts me,” Robert said. “It’s so hard to wake up one day and your wife of nearly 20 years is no longer there to greet you with a morning smile.”
Robert then developed his own health challenges including diabetes and Polymyalgia Rheumatica, which made it a struggle for him to even get out of bed on some days.
Robert drew great comfort from the company of Zanda the cat.
One of his greatest comforts in those darkest of times was the Blue Point Himalayan Persian cat, Zanda, that he and Pam had travelled with.
Robert has found happiness again with and Di and they now live together on a hobby farm.
“For a number of years, I had a yearly trip to Wyee for taxation but, other than that, nothing!” said Robert. “Then I started to research so many things, and just figure out what to do.”
Eventually, Robert took up a farm sitting position and, from there, things began to get easier. He started fishing again, and even took a few cruises. He was still incredibly lonely, though, and began looking at internet dating.
“What a turbulent time that was,” Robert said. “All manner of would be if they could be!”
In 2021 though, he met Di and a relationship slowly developed. Today, Robert and Di have a 1.65-acre mini hobby farm in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley which they share with chooks, three dorper sheep, two dogs and, of course, Zanda the cat.
After having been in despair for so long, Robert has once again found contentment and, although his growing menagerie means he no longer travels as he used to, he is absolutely fine with that. “I’m just happy with the company … and my new life,” he said.
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I am 61 and my Darling Wife has been diagnosed with terminal Cancer and we have the van etc and ready to go, but now we are anchored here for treatment every 3 weeks,
Such a common thing these days.
Please don’t wait to live.
And I may have to do it alone one-day too.
I’m so pleased for you, my hubby passed away nearly 10 years ago, so I can feel your pain