Alyssa Winslow and her daughter Kaya are pictured in the background, while Alyssa holds a photo of her late husband Ryan Chambers and daughter Evee in the foreground. Alyssa recently published a memoir called “After the Victory,” which tells the story of how she got on after Ryan and Evee were killed in a car accident in 2015. (Jacki Marchant)
Estimated reading time: 4-5 minutes
OGDEN – A Weber County woman who saw the unimaginable devastation of losing her first husband and four-year-old daughter in a car accident in 2015 has worked hard to find joy for the past six years and recently wrote a book about published her inspiring journey.
“After the Victory” is a personal reminder of Alyssa Winslow’s experience of overcoming tragedy and finding healing after her great losses. Written in the first person, Winslow said she was telling the story as if it were happening.
“I think readers will definitely get a glimpse of the emotions I was having and the thoughts and feelings I was experiencing and the lessons I learned in the process,” said Winslow.
In August 2015, Alyssa and her first husband Ryan Chambers with their 6- and 4-year-old daughters Kaya and Evee were stopped behind an articulated lorry on I-15 when a driver collided with the rear of their car and sent them into the back of the semi-trailer. Both Ryan and Evee were killed, and Alyssa and Kaya were critically injured.
“I could have suggested this to a publisher, and maybe in the future, but I had a strong feeling that I had to publish this soon and now,” said Winslow of her book. “And I think it’s because so many people – especially in the context of the pandemic – have lost loved ones or have really difficult health problems. It seems to hear from someone who has died almost daily or weekly, ”and it really breaks my heart because I know what it feels like to be there in those first few days and hours, and it is so bad.”
Shortly after her husband’s death, Winslow felt inspired to blog on a website with a domain name that Ryan Chambers bought shortly before his death. “After the win” was a phrase belonging to Ryan.
Alyssa Winslow’s memoir “After the Victory” tells the story of how Alyssa got on after her husband and daughter were killed in a car accident in 2015.
For three years, Alyssa wrote faithfully on her blog. She said it was very therapeutic for her, helped her to heal and strengthened her belief in God. Several people wanted her to write a book that included her blog posts.
Her writing slowed after she remarried her current husband, DC Winslow. A few months after her wedding ceremony, she went to her blog to find that all of its content had been lost. This heartbreaking news made her realize how easily her story could be lost. To save it for her daughter, she decided to write her book. Fortunately, some of her blog posts were saved on her hard drive and are included in the book.
“(The book) attracts you. And it’s very raw and very vulnerable, and anyone who reads it will likely cry,” said Winslow. “However, I hope that people will come off inspired and know that despite the tough things we all go through, there is joy after the sadness and pain and that there is a plan for each of us.”
“After the Victory” is divided into three parts. Part one tells the story of losing loved ones and adjusting to their new normal. Part two covers her blogging years and part three describes her love story with DC and how they reunited a family of five.
“It’s a love story I think that’s pretty great because it kind of culminates in the end that while there’s this devastation and tragedy of losing a spouse and daughter, in the end I was able to find a new husband who is … different from Ryan, but they have similarities and I enjoy him so much. “
Winslow said it was difficult to get on in her life because she feared that if she did, she would almost forget about Ryan and Evee. But over time, she learned that allowing new relationships into her life can be compared to having a mother making room in her heart to have more children.
For those who have lost loved ones, who are grieving, who are in a difficult situation right now, I would just say that you are not alone.
–Alyssa Winslow
Winslow long prayed that God would help her find someone should she remarry. She said Ryan set a high bar for a husband and she wasn’t going to put up with it. When she met DC, she knew he was special. On their first date, he announced that he also had a car accident with someone close to him who hadn’t made it. Alyssa felt as if her angels were lining her up together.
“For those who have lost loved ones, who are grieving, who are in a difficult position right now, I would simply say that you are not alone,” said Winslow.
“After the Victory” was released on November 24th and is available for purchase on Amazon. DC wrote a song of the same name that can be streamed on Spotify and other major streaming services.
“I would hope (Ryan and Evee) are happy and proud of where we have been and where we have come and where we are today,” said Winslow.
About the author: Megan Christensen
Megan Christensen is an avid reader, writer, and snob language. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a major in journalism from Brigham Young University-Idaho. Megan loves to tell inspiring stories in Utah, where she lives with her husband and two children. To read more about her articles, visit Megan’s author page at KSL.com.×
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