Mourning a loved one is especially tough during the holiday season

Travis Maxwell is just one of many who lost loved ones in the past year

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Thanksgiving and Christmas are seen as times for family to come together and enjoy each other’s company.

It’s tough to do that when a loved one is no longer there to share. Travis Maxwell is just one of many who lost loved ones in the past year; for Maxwell, it was his wife and he is now taking on the holidays with her in his memory.

“Death is something we can’t avoid everybody has to do that but I just haven’t had time to grieve my wife and it’s just a tragedy man without her here after being with her for 15 years and losing her like that, an unexpected death it’s rough when you don’t have the support,” said Maxwell.

Travis Maxwell lost his wife Tynisha Smith Maxwell last year to COVID-19. Tynisha tested positive in July of 2020, and she passed away that August. Travis now takes on both parent roles for his 15-year-old twins and works hard to do so.

“I just ask them to see do they want to talk about anything. You know let it out and if they have anything they want they can call and talk to me anytime,” said Maxwell.

For Christmas, he puts on his best Santa hat.

“I basically ask them what they want for Christmas and try my best to meet those goals to get them what they want for Christmas,” said Maxwell.

Going into his second year without his partner is just as tough as the first, but he said that he won’t stop providing for his family the way Tynisha would have.

Maxwell is just one of many people dealing with not having a family member around this holiday and he encourages anyone that knows people in a similar situation to reach out to those families this holiday season..