Struggling with Grief, Finding Peace: One Man’s Journey through the Valley of Sorrow

In this book Walter Albritton shares the story of his wife Dean’s suffering and death — and invites us to walk with him on his journey through the valley of sorrow. In these pages you will feel Walter’s agony and joy, his despair and hope as he walks us through his struggle with grief. While Dean was hospitalized with a broken hip in October, 2020, she was diagnosed with dementia. She spent two weeks in rehab for her hip, under strictly limited visitation due to the Coronavirus. She didn't make much progress. Finally, the rehab staff decided to simply teach her how to use a wheelchair and sent her home. Back home, she continued to complain of pain in her stomach so Walter returned her to the hospital where she tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantined on a wing for Coronavirus patients for 14 days, with zero visitation. After the 14 days, doctors informed Walter that there was no more the hospital could do and that Dean had terminal illness, so Walter brought Dean home under the care of family and hospice. Five days later, surrounded by her family, her body died as her spirit moved through the thin veil separating earth from heaven.

Dean was born in the Wallsboro Community of Elmore County, Alabama and spent her adult life in the ministry, serving alongside Walter for 68 years. A gifted student of the Bible, Dean was a frequent speaker, sharing insights of faith learned as a homemaker, pastor’s wife, counselor, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and church leader. While this book is an honest account of Walter’s travail in the valley of sorrow, it is also a tribute to his wife, a remarkable servant of Jesus Christ.