Bob Saget’s Widow Kelly Rizzo Fires Back at Critics of New Relationship
More than two years after the death of Bob Saget, his widow Kelly Rizzo found love again with actor Breckin Meyer. But after the couple made their public debut at a Grammys party last month, Rizzo has been subject to criticism that she moved on “too fast,” leading the 44-year-old to address the negative remarks in a TikTok video.
“This is something I have not addressed publicly, but I feel this needs to be said,” the Eat Travel Rock host started off by saying. “The vast, vast, vast majority of all of the comments and feedback and support and everything I’ve gotten since Bob passed, 99 percent has been positive and lovely and wonderful.”
But as Rizzo noted, “there are just some people who love to talk” in the event that your spouse passes away.
“I’m going to start by saying, unless you are a widow or widower, you truly have absolutely no place and no right to comment on this because you do not know what it’s like,” she continued. “You just don’t understand the incredibly complex, difficult and dynamic thoughts and feelings that come up during this entire process.”
Replying to @Bnawn Grief & Dating chat #griefjourney #griefsupport #datingadvice
Rizzo then described the feelings of guilt and shame that come with the decision to start dating again after losing a spouse, “but you also feel lonely, and so you want to do it.” Those conflicting feelings become even more confusing, she explained, when your spouse’s friends and family actively encourage you to start dating again.
In Rizzo’s case, she was lucky enough to receive the support from Saget’s three adult daughters, Aubrey, 37, Lara, 34, and Jennifer, 31. She said it took her a year to become comfortable with even the thought of looking for another partner, and it wasn’t until about 18 months later that she dipped her toe back into the dating pool.
“Sometimes men move on after just a couple months after their spouse passes away, and sometimes people never do,” Rizzo said. “And the point is that whatever feels right to you, because you know how important your loved one was in your life.”
At the end of the day, she says that there is no “one size fits all” timeline for moving forward from grief.
“The whole point is, there is absolutely no room for judgement,” she continued. “You cannot judge—whether you’ve been through the same thing or not—it is not your place to judge … It is very personal, and whether somebody moves on a month after or 10 years after, it not not diminish or take away from the love or relationship that you had with your partner.”
In Meyer, Rizzo says she’s fortunate to have found a partner who understands what she went through, and knows that Saget will always be a part of her life. And with any luck, these will be the final words she feels compelled to say on the subject.
