Photo: Bobbie Thomas/Instagram

Bobbie Thomas, Michael Marrion

Bobbie Thomasis honoring her late husband,Michael Marion, on what would have been his 44th birthday.

In a touching tribute to Marionposted Monday, theTodayshow contributor shared a video montage featuring photos with her late husband and their 7-year-old son,Miles.

Set to a cover of ABBA’s “Slipping Through My Fingers,” the Instagram clip included images and videos from milestone moments like their wedding and birthday celebrations as well as a picture of Marion in the hospital.

“Michael would have been 44 today…,” she began the caption. “I paused before posting this because a part of me worried it might make others feel uncomfortable or sad for me, but in that same moment I didn’t want to give death the power to erase my feelings.”

Thomas, 47, continued, “Moving forward does not mean erasing the past. It’s hard enough to carry loss without propping up the additional burden of feeling isolated and ashamed for not being ‘over it’. So I post this not to dwell, but to feel. 💕Missing you Michael, celebrating you, happy bday love. Xx.”

Mariondied at the age of 42in December 2020 after a bacterial infection led to organ failure. The year before, the lawyersuffered a strokethat impacted his ability to walk.

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CLINT SPAULDING/Patrick McMullan via Getty

Bobbie Thomas, Michael Marrion

Opening up about her new normal to PEOPLE in March, Thomas said shevowed to finda “purpose for my pain” as she rejoined herTodayfamily after being away for over a year.

“I do feel blessed for understanding this new sort of layer in my life, this new experience,” she said at the time. “I just really want to boomerang back with my whole heart.”

“I feel like I’ve always been looking to extend myself as a girlfriend. I’ve called it a ‘professional girlfriend’ – whether it was talking about the power of lipstick or helping to navigate something else in the lifestyle arena,” she explained.

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“For me, what pushes me is knowing that I’m not alone,” Thomas added. “And I think the outpouring of love that I was really lucky to have and grateful for because of this platform has just pushed me to find purpose for my pain.”

source: people.com