Growing up in Birmingham, Tania Pomroy never imagined that the girl next door in her Coventry student halls would one day become the love of her life… and that after marrying her, she’d face the unthinkable loss of her partner just months later. At 24, Tania found herself widowed, isolated by a grief she’d never known could exist so young. But in the darkness, she found an unexpected lifeline… TikTok.
In 2017, Tania moved from Birmingham to Coventry to begin her university studies. Rooming next door to Charlotte Thomas, she struck up a friendship that blossomed into romance. Exactly six years after meeting, on September 23, 2023, the couple exchanged vows in a heartfelt ceremony surrounded by friends and family.
Just five months into their married life, Charlotte passed away in February 2024. Overnight, Tania went from newlywed to young widow… a reality she struggled to process. “I didn’t know anyone my age who’d been married, let alone lost their spouse,” she recalls. Grief engulfed her: auto‑pilot days, forgotten memories, the wrenching sense of losing not only Charlotte, but her own sense of self. “When you lose your person, you lose a piece of yourself,” Tania reflects.
Tania had dabbled in YouTube since 2020, and when TikTok launched, she began sharing snippets of her life there, too. In the immediate aftermath of Charlotte’s death, she mustered the strength to post a simple video… clips of their wedding in matching gowns, set to music. To her astonishment, the clip went viral, racking up over 7.8 million views. “It felt like the only part of my life that still made sense,” she says. “Seeing thousands of comments… even though I only meant it for friends… reminded me I wasn’t alone.”
Recording became routine. As Tania documented her sorrow, self‑care routines, and the ebb and flow of grief, a community of fellow mourners gathered around her videos. Many were young widows and widowers, drawn to her honesty and vulnerability.
Today, with nearly 200,000 followers, Tania has cultivated “a little tribe of grievers,” she laughs. Her comment section is a sanctuary where strangers console one another, share coping tips, and simply say, “I see you.” That peer support… rooted in authentic storytelling—has been pivotal to her healing. “Whether you’re 25 or 75, grief doesn’t discriminate,” she notes. “If we talk about loss more openly, it loses some of its stigma.”
Looking ahead, Tania plans to use her platform to spotlight grief and mental‑health resources. She hopes to demystify bereavement, encouraging followers to check in on loved ones and seek help when they’re struggling.
