S3 - EP28 - Michelle Watson Rhodes: losing a fiancé, CPR in the night, and grieving without rights

Rosie speaks to Michelle Watson Rhodes, who shares the devastating story of losing her fiancé Mike to a sudden heart attack just six months before their planned wedding.Michelle and Mike’s love story began during the stillness of lockdown, unfolding through long walks, shared breakfasts and the kind of everyday companionship that makes life feel steady. A quiet proposal by the river led to plans for a wedding in Jamaica until everything changed in a single night.Michelle reflects on the night she lost Mike, the desperate attempt at CPR and the unimaginable aftermath of being treated as a suspect, facing hostility from an estranged family and fighting to be recognised in her grief.She also shares how she holds onto Mike’s legacy, the man who once saved a stranger’s life and was honoured with an MBE, while slowly rebuilding her world with quiet courage and small rituals that help her keep going.This conversation is about love interrupted, grief without recognition and the resilience it takes to keep moving forward when everything has changed.