Dead on Earth

In this episode of Dead on Earth, we sit down with Hunter Beattie, owner of Ends Well Funeral Home, for a deeply personal conversation about the death of his father. Hunter’s father was the primary inspiration behind many of his accomplishments, including his path to sobriety. Following a diagnosis of a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, Hunter's father made the decision to reclaim contro...

In this episode of Dead on Earth , Denis McDowell shares the deeply moving story of his late wife, Christine, her struggle with drug addiction, and her tragic death by suicide. Left to pick up the pieces with young children, Denis reveals the difficult reality of grieving out loud while parenting through trauma. Now remarried, Denis reflects on the healing power of time, resilience, and the joy of...

In this episode of Dead on Earth , we sit down with Charles Morris to explore the profound, layered grief of losing his mother, Phyllis. Charles shares the agonizing reality of watching his mother’s cancer accelerate her dementia, creating a dual mourning process long before her physical passing. Compounding this heartbreak was the timing: Phyllis’s final days took place during COVID-19, a time wh...

This week on Dead on Earth , hosts Sarah Lipscomb and Kerrith McDowell sit down with William English for a deeply personal and vital conversation about family, systemic barriers, and profound loss. William opens up about his journey through grief following his aunt’s battle with breast cancer. Living next door to him his entire life in rural Alabama, she was a constant, nurturing presence who help...

In this episode, Sarah and Kerrith sit down with Ramona, a dedicated social worker, to talk about the passing of her mother. Ramona’s mother was her absolute rock and, as a hospice nurse, a pillar of strength for countless families. Ramona opens up about the devastating reality of watching her mother battle lung cancer and reflects on the profound, heavy grief of sitting at her mother's bedsid...

In this episode of Dead on Earth , we sit down with Taylor Ortiz-Hershman for a deeply moving conversation about her brother, Ben's battle with, and ultimate passing from, an Adderall addiction. Taylor opens up about the unique pain of watching someone you love fade away, the devastating reality of prescription stimulant abuse, and how she navigates the complex landscape of loss. "I'm...

In this episode of Dead on Earth , we sit down with Patrick Nagle, a registered nurse who served with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Sudan. Patrick shares the heavy, haunting reality of medical work in a conflict zone. He walks us through the chaotic aftermath of an unexploded bomb that devastated a local community. With raw honesty, Patrick recounts the death of 12 children, the agonizing weigh...

In this episode, Staten Island native Gabriella joins us to share the profound loss of her father to a drug overdose. Gabriella opens up about growing up alongside her father's lifelong battle with substance use disorder. Despite the chaos of addiction, their bond remained deep. From a young age, Gabriella stepped into the role of emotional caretaker, fiercely looking out for him until the very en...

In this episode of Dead on Earth, host Kerrith McDowell sits down with Shane Kiel to explore the devastating memory of attempting to rescue a young girl from drowning in the ocean—an act of humanity that tragically ended in loss. He opens up about the heavy weight of that day, and how the water remains his greatest sanctuary despite forcing him to learn some of life's hardest lessons.

In this powerful episode of Dead on Earth, hosts Kerrith McDowell and Sarah Lipscomb sit down with Nicole Archiello, a mortgage broker from the Jersey Shore, for a deeply moving conversation about grief, addiction, and unwavering faith. Nicole opens up about the devastating pain of losing her beloved brother to Opioid Use Disorder and the raw reality of navigating grief alongside her faith.

This week on Dead on Earth , hosts Sarah Lipscomb and Kerrith McDowell sit down with a fellow hospice colleague, Caroline Wilson, to explore the profound personal impact of loss. They discuss the death of Caroline's close friend and hospice chaplain, Jodi. While Caroline had initially prepared herself to lose Jodi to cancer, she was caught completely off guard by her sudden death following a t...

In this episode of Dead on Earth , host Sarah Lipscomb talks with Kyle Kirby as he opens up about the heartbreaking experience of losing his close friends, Kai and Brian, to substance use disorder. Bonded by their shared love for raves, anime conventions, and working together in the restaurant industry, they partied and grew up as a tight-knit group. Through raw and honest storytelling, Kyle share...

In this episode of Dead on Earth , we sit down with Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique (QHHT) practitioner Shivani Mistry. Shivani opens up about the profound loss of her grandfather, Ishwar. She shares her raw journey through grief and the beautiful complexity of preserving Indian traditions in America. Tune in for a moving conversation on love, loss, and the timeless threads that connect us to w...

Stephanie Tracy shares the devastating loss of her mother to cancer.

Sarah and Kerrith answer the listener question, "Why did you make this podcast?"

Christine Council shares her story or grief and loss surrounding the death of her mother and sisters.

Dr. David Fisher share's the story of his father's death.

William English opens up about his deeply personal journey through grief and loss following his aunt’s battle with breast cancer.

Maria Principe-Falcione opens up about her journey navigating grief and loss after the death of her mother.

Jill Santos Hutcheson describes the complex grief she has experienced surrounding the loss of her big brother, Tom, as a young adult.

Jennifer Martin shares her story of grief and loss after the death of her mother, her grandmother, and her aunt within a few short years of each other.

Tara Coleman talks about losing her brother in young adulthood.

Trish Ward-Torres offers a poignant reflection on the passing of her grandmother.

Sarah Lipscomb interviews Justin Sykes about the death of his father.

Kerrith McDowell interviews Sarah Lipscomb about the death of her sister. This episode includes sensitive content about the topic of suicide.