I became a statistic in December of 2002, when my husband, Russ Berrie, died of
a massive stroke on Christmas Day. I joined a club I never wanted to belong to,
along with 700,000 other women who lose their husbands each year. I will also
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| Russell & Angelica Berrie |
Widowhood, at any age, strikes women with disproportionate cruelty. As women
tend to outlive their spouses, 84% of the 13.5 million people who lose their partners
are women, 45% of those over 65 are females, four times as many widows as
widowers (AARP). For widows over 65, 9.4% are likely to live below the low
income threshold within five years of being widowed, a direct impact on their
standard of living. Globally, over 115 million widows live in poverty. (UNITED
NATIONS (AP) 6/23/2010)
are women, 45% of those over 65 are females, four times as many widows as
widowers (AARP). For widows over 65, 9.4% are likely to live below the low
income threshold within five years of being widowed, a direct impact on their
standard of living. Globally, over 115 million widows live in poverty. (UNITED
NATIONS (AP) 6/23/2010)
