His wife Lauren Zonfrillo has shared her experience of traumatic loss in a book titled Till Death Do Us Part to help others find comfort through their own pain and suffering.
Zonfrillo said it had been hard for her to explain how she went from “absolute catastrophe” to the new version of her life with two young children.
Zonfrillo said she reread journals from “very dark and broken places” and undid progress she had made through the process of writing her book.
Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo appear as judges on season 15 of MasterChef Australia. Photo / Channel 10
“But it did make me think deeper about some really complex parts of grief,” she said.
In a video posted to social media, Zonfrillo explained how she experienced grief amnesia following her husband’s death, which was a physical response to the trauma she felt that impacted her memory, mind and body.
She said unrelenting firsts kept coming in waves and she felt a need to live a life of intention and with urgency.
“I tried as many roads away from the impact zone as I could, and I tried them as quickly as possible,” she said.
“I had our 3 and 5-year-olds that needed normal levels of parenting, which at that age is quite a lot, but they also needed extra care and nurturing as they learned to live with grief in their life.”
She said despite the hardships through their journey she built a bigger life for her and her children which created a space of happiness.
The book will be available from stores in May next year.
