Larry’s Story
Dodie Driscoll, my second wife, died January 31, 2025. My children, I and her friends adored her. She was truly the wind beneath my wings which enabled me to soar.
At age 40, life as Larry Freeborg knew it ended in a single week. The day after Christmas in 1979, he lost his 39-year-old wife to leukemia, and days later, he lost his job of 18 years, in the middle of an economic crisis. Suddenly, he was a widowed father of four, with no income and no roadmap forward.
Larry Freeborg’s life changed in a psychiatric ward, overwhelmed by the grief of losing his wife to leukemia, caring for four young children, and losing his job during an economic crisis. It was there, at the psychiatric ward, where a nurse’s simple question changed everything:
“What choice will you make?”
In that moment, Larry realized that every moment offers options — and that he could reclaim his life. That insight transformed his life and became the foundation for his book.
Always At Choice: “Strategies for Moving on After the Death of a Spouse or Life Trauma.’
Today Larry knows that even in the darkest moments we always have a choice.
What followed wasn’t a quick recovery but a decades-long journey of learning to grieve, to lead with love, and to rediscover hope in the face of unimaginable loss. Along the way, he discovered a simple yet powerful truth: no matter what life takes away, you are always at a choice.
Today, he is the author of Always At Choice and the founder of Stepping Through the Gate, a wise-elder coaching service. Through his writing and coaching, he helps individuals move from significant losses to healing, renewal, and fully engaged life possibilities. For thirty-five years, he also partnered with business leaders to clarify what they wanted to create in the workplace — working side by side to navigate challenges and unlock solutions.
A former corporate leader at 3M and Medtronic, and founder of Stepping Through the Gate, Larry leveraged his experience to inspire audiences to reclaim their power, move forward courageously, and live with joy and purpose.
Today, Larry’s mission is simple yet profound: to remind others that while loss changes everything, it never takes away the power to choose — to heal, to grow, and to live again.
At 87, Larry shares decades of wisdom in Always At Choice: Strategies for Moving on After the Death of a Spouse or Life Trauma. He teaches how to navigate grief, fear, and life transitions; manage emotions; communicate effectively; prioritize what matters; and achieve personal and professional fulfillment.
Over two decades later, Larry’s book serves people who’ve faced profound loss or trauma and are now asking: What now? How do I move forward? Can I find joy again? If so, how?
The answer is yes — and it begins with understanding that you are at choice.
Today, Larry shares his story and lessons to support others navigating their transitions — whether that’s grieving a spouse or job loss, recovering from trauma, or simply longing to feel alive again after years of merely surviving.
