NBC NEWS SPECIAL ANCHOR MARIA SHRIVER, TALKED TO HIM
EXCLUSIVELY.
EXCLUSIVELY. MARIA, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU, CRAIG. WHEN HIS WIFES COLUMN WENT
VIRAL, JASON ROSENTHAL WAS
THRUST INTO THE NATIONAL
SPOTLIGHT, RECEIVING COUNTLESS MESSAGES OF LOVE AND SUPPORT, AS
HE STRUGGLED THROUGH HIS LOSS.
NOW, HES READY TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT AMYS LETTER MEANT TO HIM,
AND HOW HES USING HIS GRIEF TO
SPREAD A MESSAGE OF HOPE. >> THE GREAT IRONY OF MY LIFE IS
THAT IT TOOK LOSING MY WIFE OF
26 YEARS, MY BEST FRIEND AND MOTHER OF MY THREE CHILDREN, TO
TRULY APPRECIATE EACH MOMENT AND
EACH DAY.
EACH DAY. >> Reporter: SURROUNDED BY HIS
LOVING FAMILY, JASON ROSENTHAL
HAD ALWAYS LIVED A QUIET PRIVATE
LIFE.
LIFE.
LAST YEAR, ALL THAT CHANGED. HIS WIFE, BELOVED CHILDRENS.
HIS WIFE, BELOVED CHILDRENS BOOK AUTHOR, AMY KROUSE
ROSENTHAL, WAS DYING FROM
CANCER, WHEN SHE PENNED HER
COLUMN, "YOU MAY WANT TO MARRY MY HUSBAND." MAY WANT TO MARRY
MY HUSBAND." I HAVE BEEN MARRIED TO THE MOST
EXTRAORDINARY MAN FOR 26 YEARS,
SHE WROTE.
SHE WROTE. THE MOST GENUINE GIFT I CAN HOPE
FOR IS THAT THE RIGHT PERSON
READS THIS, FINDS JASON, AND
ANOTHER LOVE STORY BEGINS.
SHE, LIKE, THRUST YOU RIGHT OUT
INTO THE HEARTS OF THE WORLD. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?D.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU? >> YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT
THAT PIECE CAME OUT LITERALLY
DAYS AFTER SHE DIED.
AND SO, A LOT OF THOSE EARLY
MONTHS TO ME WERE FOGGY.
BUT THEN, WHAT HAPPENED QUICKLY,
IS THAT A GROUP OF WOMEN REACHED
OUT TO ME.
>> Reporter: YES. >> AND PROFESSED THEIR
COMMITMENT.
COMMITMENT.
I WOULDNT SAY LOVE, BUT COMMITMENT.AY LOVE, BUT
COMMITMENT.
SOME OF IT PROVIDED A NICE BIT OF LEVITY AND SOME HUMOR.E BIT
OF LEVITY AND SOME HUMOR. >> Reporter: THAT WAS HELPFUL
OR?
OR?
>> TO FIND SOME HUMOR DURING THE DEPTHS OF GRIEVING, YES.RING THE
DEPTHS OF GRIEVING, YES. >> Reporter: NOW, 15 MONTHS
AFTER HIS WIFES DEATH, JASON IS
READY TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT HES
LEARNED, FROM LOSING THE MOST
IMPORTANT PERSON IN HIS LIFE.
>> AS I CLIMBED OUT OF THE DEEP,
DEEP DARKNESS OF GRIEVING, I
SORT OF HAD THAT LITTLE GUARDIAN
ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER WHEN I WENT
OUT AND I FOUND MYSELF SMILING.
IM LIKE, WHY AM I SMILING?
MY WIFE JUST DIED.
OH, WAIT A MINUTE, SHE SAID IT
WAS OKAY.
WAS OKAY.
IM LAUGHING.
ITS OKAY.
AMY SAID YOU SHOULD FIND
HAPPINESS.
>> Reporter: SHE SAID, I WANT
YOU TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN.
I WANT YOU TO GET MARRIED.
DO YOU BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY
WILL?
>> I HAVE NO IDEA. I DONT KNOW. IDEA.
I DONT KNOW. I DO, WHEN I SAY I LIVE
DAY-TO-DAY, THATS WHAT IM
DOING RIGHT NOW.
I WAS SURE THAT THE FEELING OF
DESPAIR WOULD BE EVER-PRESENT.
>> Reporter: TO HELP OTHERS
THROUGH GRIEF, JASON RECENTLY
GAVE A TED TALK ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF OPENING UP ABOUT
YOUR LOSS AND YOUR PAIN.
>> MY WIFE DIED OF OVARIAN
CANCER IN OUR BED.
I CARRIED HER LIFELESS BODY DOWN
OUR STAIRS, TO A WAITING GURNEY,
TO HAVE HER BODY CREMATED.
I WILL NEVER GET THAT IMAGE OUT
OF MY HEAD.
SOME FRIENDS, EVEN, IN YOUR LIFE
CHECK OUT BECAUSE THEY DONT
KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
>> I THINK ITS IMPORTANT TO
ENGAGE SOMEONE AND TO TALK.
YOU CANT REALLY SAY ANYTHING
WRONG.
>> Reporter: DONT WORRY THAT
YOURE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION.ING THE WRONG
QUESTION.
DONT WORRY THAT YOURE OFFEND
OFFENDING.
>> NO.
DONT WORRY.
NO.
TALK ABOUT IT.
>> Reporter: JASON SAYS EVEN AS
AMY FACED TERMINAL ILLNESS, SHE
REMAINED AN ETERNAL OPTIMIST, GIVING HIM THE STRENGTH TO WORK
THROUGH HIS GRIEF AND LOOK
AHEAD.
AHEAD.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU WHAT I WAS GIVEN, A BLANK SHEET
OF PAPER.
OF PAPER. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR
INTENTIONAL EMPTY SPACE, WITH
YOUR FRESH START.
>> JASON HAS NOW WRITTEN HIS OWN
MODERN LOVE COLUMN FOR "THE NEW
YORK TIMES."
YORK TIMES."
IT WILL BE IN THE PAPER THIS
SUNDAY, IN HONOR OF FATHERS DAY.AY, IN HONOR OF FATHERS
DAY.
AND HES ALSO SET UP A
FOUNDATION IN AMYS NAME TO RAISE MONEY FOR OVARIAN CANCER
RESEARCH AND CHILDRENS
LITERACY.
LITERACY.
WE HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT BOTH
OF THOSE THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE,
TODAY.COM.
CRAIG?
>> WHAT A GREAT LOVE STORY.
>> ITS INCREDIBLE.