Life Five Years After: How a Bull Rider's Widow Redefined Happiness

Rodeo is a tough sport, and sometimes we lose the greats too soon to injuries from doing what they love. Unfortunately, that leaves a heartbroken family trying to navigate life without their loved one. But what does life look like for a wife who lost her husband five years ago in a bull riding accident? Abbey Lowe (Cooper) shares her story of how she’s navigating life as a widow.

On Jan. 15, 2019, the crowd inside the Denver Coliseum went silent. Mason Lowe was riding a bull named Hard Times when he was pulled under the bull and struck in the chest. Lowe passed away at the hospital from the injuries.

Lowe wasn’t a single man living life on the PBR trail. He was married to his now widow, Abbey Lowe (Cooper). Abbey wasn’t in Denver the night of the accident—she was at their home in Missouri, thinking she would see her husband after the event. Abbey told her husband she loved him one last time, not knowing it would be the last time she said those words to him and heard them back.

Now, five years have gone by and Abbey is flourishing in life. But it’s not without the hard moments and the memories flooding back. Abbey is an inspiration in the rodeo and bull riding community. While she isn’t the only widow to experience a loss in this way, she is a figure in the industry who wants to help others see the light at the end of the grieving tunnel.

Coping With the Loss

Life dealt Abbey a brutal hand when she lost Mason when he was only 25 years old and she was 22 years old. The couple had been together since she was 18 and he was 20 and shared seven months and six days as a married couple before he passed. Their life was only beginning as newlyweds, and they had big plans for the rest of their lives. Mason was shining on the largest of stages and was quickly becoming a household name in rodeo. But this was all before the call that would shatter Abbey’s world.

Abbey went from applying to school to sending out “Thank You” cards post-wedding to planning a funeral, all in less than a year.

Mason and Abbey Lowe on their wedding day / Courtesy of Abbey Lowe (Cooper)

Being a passionate wife, Abbey didn’t know how to exist without her husband. The lifestyle she knew and loved quickly became hard to be around. Abbey grieved in her own way from the loss—she spent months in bed trying to sleep away the nightmare she was living. She’d wake up each time and hope that what she was experiencing was, in fact, a nightmare and not her reality.

Yet, it was a spontaneous trip to Hawaii that sparked a change. In the islands' serene beauty, Abbey found a semblance of peace and the strength to envision a life ahead. Abbey, her mom, and a close friend booked the trip to Hawaii, and it was on that vacation that Abbey realized she could go on and live through the hardship she was facing.

“I got my smile back on that trip looking out across such breathtaking scenery. There, I was also looked at like an ordinary person. Nobody knew who I was or what I was going through. So I didn’t get looked at like a victim, and let me tell you, I needed that,” Abbey said. “So I came back and decided I was going to start the journey to rebuild myself. I ended up getting my first job that year and began to build my life back. Becoming known for what I could do, not just what I had been through.”

The Motivation to Move On

Abbey's journey from grief to growth wasn't a straight path. She had to reinvent herself—from planning a future with Mason to standing alone, starting her job, and grappling with the everyday. The transition from the adrenaline-fueled rodeo life to the regularity of a 9-to-5 was jarring. Even as a lifelong rodeo contestant herself, Abbey couldn’t bring herself to watch the iconic rodeos that year because she knew that Mason was supposed to be there. Moving on isn’t what Abbey would call it because she still lives with Mason in her heart every day, but she’s picked up the pieces of herself that shattered and is tackling the next parts of her life head-on.

Knowing that Mason was in her heart, she knew she needed to move houses. The place she used to call home felt empty without her husband. It takes several steps to keep pressing on and carving out a new life, but Abbey took a leap that would help her find a better place mentally and emotionally that allowed for her much-needed growth.

“I finally bought a new place about a year and a half later, and that’s when my daily life seemed to get easier,” Abbey said. “Before that, I would go to work and try to start my new chapter, just to return home to everything still sitting in the same spot as he left it a year and a half later. That bothered me every day, so getting out to my new place was my oasis. I could make new memories, not just be trapped in the old ones every waking moment.”

Abbey’s perspective has changed since Mason’s passing and her starting a new life. She quickly became very aware of everyday life and less of the timeline everyone thinks they are on.

“There is no imaginary date you have to have things in your life done by. I used to get so caught up during my grief journey, thinking, ‘If I could just get here, I’d be happy’ or ‘I should be further than I am.’ When in reality, it was just taking away from how far I had come,” Abbey noted. “I now live by the saying I made up through my journey that goes, ‘If everything would’ve gone perfect, you wouldn’t have a story to tell.’”

While she hasn’t necessarily enjoyed the situations that have happened in her life, Abbey recognizes that almost everything in her life is built off of situations that didn’t go in her favor. But life isn’t a place where fair hands are always dealt.

The Memories and Legacy

Abbey's reflection on Mason's life is filled with vibrancy. She brings him to life through stories that showcase his infectious energy and down-to-earth nature. Her efforts to honor his legacy are deeply personal and far-reaching.

“The first finals after Mason passed away, I talked to Sean Gleason, CEO of PBR, and had a scholarship fund put together in his honor. The award in his honor is the High Marked Ride Of The Year,” Abbey mentioned. “If I remember correctly, the fund has enough in it to last more than 30 years. Which is absolutely incredible for the future generations of the rodeo industry.”

Mason was incredibly loved in the sport of bull riding, and Abbey has worked hard to ensure he is remembered not just for his accomplishments but for who he was outside the arena as well. Mason had an infectious smile, a quick wit, a love for those who surrounded him, and, of course, his favorite pair of cowboy boots. With the scholarship fund, Abbey can continue to give love to those Mason would’ve loved and admired himself.

“Sean and I also decided to use Mason’s boots he rode in that final night for pieces of artwork,” Abbey said. “We got pieces of his boots inlayed in custom cross pendants that get handed out each year at the finals with his award. I presented the pendant and award to Jess Lockwood at the 2019 World Finals. I truly don’t think there was a dry eye to be found around the place.”

Looking to the Future

Abbey knows that the future has something in store for her. What that is, she’s unsure of—although it could be speculated that it’s being a figure of strength and hope in the rodeo community. But ultimately, Abbey is more than a widow, Abbey is more than what has happened to her in her short life, Abbey is who she is because of those things and knows there’s more for her in this life.

While she never believed she’d find another partner, Abbey has developed a new relationship. Abbey has grown, learned to love herself, and is now able to love someone else. It takes time to come to this point, but Abbey has clawed her way from her darkest moments to find happiness again.

Abbey Lowe (Cooper) and her boyfriend riding horses in Arizona / Courtesy of Abbey Lowe (Cooper)

“It took me a long time to even trust people again—I was so independent,” Abbey said. “I was independent because I thought if I did it all myself, I would never have expectations on anything, in turn never being let down again. I was so good at being alone because it meant it was consistent. I didn’t want to deal with the inconsistencies that modern-day dating seems to come with.”

There will never be a replacement for Mason. Abbey knows Mason was her person, but she’s also self-aware and knew in her heart she wanted to love again.

“I was faced with trying to replace a person that was irreplaceable,” Abbey continued. “So my advice to anyone going through the loss of a partner is to wait for someone who is patient in your process. That’s what I have truly been blessed to find. It took a long time for the walls to come down. Some still haven’t and may never crumble, unfortunately. Grief isn’t something that goes away, you just learn to live with it.”

After opening herself up to romantic partnerships again, Abbey is excited about what’s in store for her future. Though she knows she can’t put her life on a timeline, she is working to reach her lifelong goals.

“I would like to get married again and eventually have children. That is something I didn’t think would ever come down the line for me again, but God works in mysterious ways sometimes,” Abbey noted.

Abbey isn’t solely focused on her romantic life, though. A force to be reckoned with in breakaway roping, Abbey hopes to start entering some rodeos again.

“My current life revolves around the roping arena once again,” Abbey said. “I would like to start entering the bigger rodeos again and getting back into the swing of things. But, honestly, at the moment, I’m quite content with watching the young horses progress from the comfort of home.”

Helping Others Find Their Peace

Abbey talks about the importance of embracing the good days and navigating through the tough ones. Abbey finds solace in the simple joys of her ranch life—the sight of her horses and the company of her dogs. It's in these moments of tranquility that she finds the strength to support others who are walking the path of grief. Her message is clear: healing isn't linear, and it's okay to forge your own path through the pain.

“I don’t really have a timeframe for everything going forward. After everything, I’ve realized I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Abbey said. “I’m simply enjoying the day and seeing where the next one points me. I do know that I would like to eventually write a book of my tale of love, adventure, tragedy, and the rebuilding of a life that was in shambles. I want to help others through their journey of grief.”