I Won’t Delete My Dead Spouse’s Netflix Profile
Online accounts can be a way to help ease your grief
My partner of 10 years died without warning on a freezing Calgary afternoon in January 2019. My world shattered — it was beyond anything I could’ve imagined.
John was only 38 at the time of his death and losing him was the furthest thought from my mind. It has been one year since he passed. Over this last year, I’ve been taking notes on my journey through grief. Of all the things that I’ve dealt with, one thing made me pause.
His Netflix profile.
Like most couples, we had a Netflix account together. On those cold winter nights, John and I would mindlessly watch reruns of Friends or binge Orange Is the New Black. Something so mundane, but somehow significant.
Months after John passed, reminders of what I’ve lost were everywhere. His inactive social media accounts, zero message notifications from him, and his unwashed shirts on the floor. Plus all the emotional and financial strains of your partner unexpectedly dying.
I hadn’t watched Netflix for what seemed like an eternity. When I opened it up for some mindless diversion, I got the exact opposite. I was presented with two options: “John” and “Chris.”
