Out of death and despair came renewed hope and the joy of a better way to live

Her story is not just one of sorrow, but a testament to strength and resilience.

Her resolve to break the silence came in the depths of grief, after losing her husband, Peter Hanley, to suicide in 2016.

That journey now has new paths to follow after she received a $7500 Business Women Albury Wodonga grant to put towards her holistic store Olive Health Foods.

Runners-up grants were also awarded to Dash Cakes and Espresso Bar which received $5000, and Sacred Women's Retreats, which received $2500.

They were among six finalists chosen out of 28 nominations for the annual grants program.

Mrs Hart - she has since remarried - said nothing could prepare someone for the loss of a husband and father.

"Suddenly you're a single mum of three kids," she said.

"You're going through your own grief, loss and trauma.

"But you're also navigating three little humans who have lost their dad and their emotions and their grief and their sadness to go along with it."

Mrs Hart said she would never fully understand why it happened.

"The kids and I were actually away at the time visiting my mum, who was living in Geelong," she said.

"The police called me and I remember saying to the kids 'Dad's passed away, I haven't got all the information but when I do, I'll tell you'."

Then weeks later, she unexpectedly got a coronial report in the mailbox.

"I opened it up and there it was. I knew all of the details."

Mrs Hart said she always knew Peter's death was a possibility, as he had made several similar attempts.

"Would I have left him knowing he was going to do it? Absolutely not, but I knew it was something he would or could do."

A shared passion the couple had was horses; he was a track work rider when they met.

"We met riding horses and instantly had a connection," she said.

"The more we worked together, whether it be work or at home, the more together we were."

But she never touched a horse again after his death, though recently the team at Olive Health Foods surprised her with a horse riding gift - something she hoped might bring her closure.

"I don't think you ever understand suicide, it's traumatising, you feel abandoned, rejected - you feel all of it," she said.

"And you never get any answers."

Mrs Hart said there came a point where she was close to taking her own life, as "it was just too hard, I couldn't keep going".

"I just kept crumbling and crying," she said.

"But there was this particular night and I saw a photo of my kids and I thought 'I could never do that'. I'm choosing life but needed to look at how I was doing that because I couldn't keep going the way I was.

"I wasn't a present mother and we're just getting through each day."

Mrs Hart said something sparked in her to keep Peter's legacy alive.

"He is driving me," she said.

"If I can change one person's life by speaking out then I'm on the right track.

"Where there is support there is connection."

Mrs Hart said while doctors could be quick to medicate they often didn't mention diet, supplements, sunlight or exercise.

"That really fast forwarded me into healing," she said.

"And ultimately led me to Olive Health Foods.

"The first thing they wanted to do was put me on antidepressants when my husband died."

But Mrs Hart said she didn't take the tablets.

"He was on antidepressants for six years and he's dead - that's not the solution," she said.

"I was grieving and yes they have their part but so does what we put into our bodies."

Mrs Hart said no one ever asked her "what do you need?".

She said the whole reason she bought the store in 2020 was to raise awareness about health and wellness, including mental health.

"I always focus on connection and having an open-door policy. People can come in wherever they are on their recovery path and if I can't help them, I'll find someone else that can."

Mrs Hart said Peter would be remembered for his sport but also for how "wonderful of a dad he was".

"We will continue to celebrate him and talk about him," she said.

"For now I'm just trying to navigate my way, there's no handbook for parenting or grief.

"Some days are hard and dark but we keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Mrs Hart said the grant would be put towards renovating a wellness hub in the store.

For support call Lifeline 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au.