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Best-selling author pens book after late wife's viral essay: 'You May Want to Marry My Husband'

Jason Rosenthal is tackling grief, love, and healing in his new book, "My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me."

CHICAGO — Chicago-based author, Jason Rosenthal, received the ultimate gift from his wife, Amy, back in 2017.

Amy's essay, You May Want to Marry My Husband, was published just 10 days before she died from ovarian cancer. It went viral -- 5-million people would view it.

“The ability to combine that intellect and the humor, you know, it was such a dark topic that she could also make people smile. And that was her true gift. I think that's why it spoke to so many people," Jason said of his wife's powerful essay. “I can't tell you how much that meant to me moving forward ... having that blessing, that gift of her wanting me to move forward in my life.”

Selflessness personified: Amy delicately, and directly, spoke of her husband of 26 years, and why he would make a good match for someone else. She talked about their love and the little things Jason would do for her.

"This is a man who emerges from the minimart or gas station and says, “Give me your palm.” And, voilà, a colorful gumball appears. (He knows I love all the flavors but white.)" -You May Want to Marry My Husband

On paper, Amy literally leaving room for Jason's new life: A blank space.

“And I embraced that, that sort of blank space that she gave me at the end of the essay as I continued to move forward. And I still do to this day, you know, so I don't know what would've happened, to be honest with you, if I didn't have that expressed permission," Jason said.

After Amy's passing, Jason was thrust into the spotlight. But it was a tough balance, because their three children, Justin, Miles and Paris, were still grieving.

“It was me who was the subject of the attention, but it was also them who had this big, huge void in their lives. And they always will," Jason said of his kids.

Jason began channeling his grief into writing and speaking: A TED Talk, and a New York Times Best-Selling book he co-wrote with this daughter, Paris, "Dear Boy." He traveled the world repeating their story.

Now, he's got a different message ... an answer, perhaps, to his wife's beautiful, public letter to him years ago: My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me.

“Many people wanted to know who those two people were that were the subject of that piece. And it's part of why I did open up in my book and talk a lot about falling in love with Amy and our love story and our relationship," Jason said of his new book. “What it's like to be with someone you love at the end of their life, because I know that speaks to so many people who are enduring loss of any kind. And then to combine that with what happened to me, which is that I found some resilience, in the face of this darkness.”

Credit: Credit: Jason Rosenthal

There's still pain, though, and he's working through it.

“It's those small moments in between, you know, where you're not expecting it, that really rock your world," Jason said of his grief.

There's light, too, in the darkness. And, more and more, he's learning to lean into the bright spots.

“I could have been that guy at the end of the bar who didn't want to leave, you know, knee deep in a bottle of whiskey. But you have to do what's in your heart and take baby steps to resume some sense of normalcy and find a little bit of joy," Jason said.

And for the future?

“I really don't know. I'm looking forward to filling my blank space, though.”

For more information on Jason Rosenthal's book, click HERE.

Are you someone seeking help for grief? Click, HERE.

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