Ieva Rekšņa on life after the death of her husband, former State Police chief Juris Rekšņa

This August marked three years since the death of police general Juris Rekšņa, former head of the State Police and state secretary at the Ministry of the Interior. His widow, Ieva, has now spoken more openly about his final hours and about life after his passing.

According to Ieva, Juris suddenly fell ill and the situation escalated very quickly — only about 10 to 15 minutes passed between the decision to call an ambulance and the tragic outcome. The first paramedics who arrived initially suggested hospitalization might not be necessary, but Juris decided on his own to go to the hospital. Shortly afterward, a resuscitation team also arrived at the house, but by then it was too late to help him.

Juris Rekšņa died at the age of 64, while still active and in what seemed like good health. Ieva admits she was completely unprepared for what happened and spent the initial period afterward in a kind of daze, unable to handle practical matters herself. Their adult children, along with friends, took care of funeral arrangements and other formalities at the time, allowing Ieva to focus on coping emotionally.

Life today

Ieva says she still senses her husband's presence throughout the house every day — every corner reminds her of their life together, and habits such as cooking in large pots have remained unchanged. She still recalls his sense of humor and the romantic moments they shared. Time, she says, helps her live with the loss, but it does not take away the pain entirely.

Earlier in her career, Ieva worked as a journalist before spending more than 20 years as a public relations specialist for the State Police, communicating with the media and shaping the institution's public image.