Chadwick Boseman‘s wife, Simone Ledward Boseman, spoke with Whoopi Goldberg Tuesday (November 1st) in her first sit-down interview since Chadwick’s death in August 2020. “It has been the most challenging two years I've ever had in my life,” she shared.

When Goldberg asked if it was hard to keep the severity of the Black Panther star’s illness a secret, she replied, “It was COVID, when things were really starting to spiral. And that meant that everybody was in their house, and there was no pressure for anybody to go outside.”

She continued, “It seemed like, 'Is this a crazy coincidence that we get to actually be inside, that we get to be here with family — together? And everybody in the world is also experiencing this togetherness in the midst of this awful, scary, unpredictable time?' We kept that circle real — our circle was basically a dot.”

Through tears, Simone added, “I can't believe that I was so lucky. I can't believe that I got to love this person. And I also got them to love me too.”