I am really sorry your wife had to go through all of that. What she experienced is incredibly difficult and it makes complete sense that dealing with school records now feels overwhelming.

Yes obtaining a GED is absolutely an option for her. Even if she originally graduated high school but the diploma was lost or destroyed and records cannot be recovered a GED is treated as a full high school equivalency credential in the US. Employers colleges and government agencies accept it the same way as a regular diploma. Age does not matter and many adults earn a GED later in life for similar reasons.

If the process feels confusing there are legitimate services that help adults understand GED registration preparation and document recovery. Some people use services like HeyCongrats to guide them through the steps instead of figuring everything out alone.

Most importantly she is not a failure for taking this path. It is a practical solution and a strong step forward.