Dead Dads Podcast | Grief Support for Men

Jimmy grew up believing his father didn't want him. Years later, he discovered a very different man. Anthony was an old-school Sicilian dad from the Bronx. Tough. Proud. Sometimes impossible. The kind of father who drove his son across New York every day for school but refused to bail him out when he landed in prison. Jimmy eventually understood his father's version of tough love. Then he watched...

How do you grieve a father you loved, resented, and barely knew? For Ali, grief after losing his dad didn't look like sadness at first. It looked like anger, numbness, ambition, and a 15-year refusal to visit his father's grave. Ali spent much of his life wanting his dad to say four words: "I'm proud of you." He never did. In this episode of Dead Dads, Ali talks about losing his father after a com...

🎧 In this episode, you'll get: Language for the guilt that can follow suicide loss Permission to stop chasing an answer you may never get A reason to ask for help before you think you “need” it A better way to think about therapy when the first person isn't the right fit A frame for the three paths grief can put in front of you: fall apart, white-knuckle it, or use it Permission to cry, talk abou...

This episode is for any guy whose dad disappeared in slow motion. If you've watched someone you love forget who they are — or you're the son who made the facility call — start here. Blake Collier's dad Rodney had early-onset Alzheimer's for 14 years. Rancher. Property manager. Voracious reader. Devoted Christian. A man who used to punch holes in walls — and later became a teddy bear. Blake parked...

This episode is for anyone who has kids. If you've ever frozen when your kid asked where grandpa went, start here. Welcome to the first of many "Ask the Expert" episodes at Dead Dads. Dr. Korie Leigh is a thanatologist — a grief scientist. She told us the exact words to use. Not "passed away." Not "went to sleep." Most of us use soft language to protect kids from death. Dr. Korie's research says t...

Jordan's dad rode 60km on an e-bike with a chemo bottle taped to the frame. Stage four cancer. Then one day the bike stayed in the garage. Jordan didn't fall apart. He felt… neutral. Then guilty for feeling neutral. This episode explores the quiet grief nobody talks about. The feeling that 30% of you disappears when your dad dies. You're still functioning, but you're running on less. If you've los...

Grief support for men who've lost their dads. This week: Dave Siff on the sudden, no-warning death of his father — and the mystery that came with it. Dave texted his 85-year-old dad and got one garbled reply back. Days later he was in the same ICU where his mom died, deciding when to pull the tube. Then the breathing tube came out — and his dad's eye shot open and locked onto him. "This is it. I c...

James turned 21. He spent the day on the golf course with his mates. That night he was downstairs drinking champagne while, upstairs, his dad Willie was dying. At 10pm, on his birthday, it was over. That was the day James became a man who'd lost his father. The same date he's been asked to celebrate every year since. James joins Roger and Scott to talk about bowel cancer, the diagnosis, the final...

Peter Reek's dad Bill was a Nestle commodities trader. One night, on a purchasing trip to Columbia in the mid 80's, he watched the guy having dinner at the next table over get shot. Everyone knew what to do, and Bill calmly followed. They got under the table, finished the meal somewhere else, and Bill flew home the next week.  That was Bill Reek. Mr. Safety. The guy who built a 40-year career...

In this episode of Dead Dads, Matty Woods talks about losing his dad to prostate cancer, medical assistance in dying, anticipatory grief, and the celebration of life that followed. Hi Dad, Nigel had just died when Matty came to the Dead Dads studio. This is one of the most powerful real life stories we’ve had on Dead Dads. Matty is still in the rawest part of grief: fresh, early, and still finding...

When does grief get easier after losing your dad? In this episode of Dead Dads Podcast, Dave Genn of 54-40 talks about grief, mental health, father loss, music, creativity, and what actually happens years after your dad dies. Dave got the honest answer from guys who had already been through grief and loss: the hurt does not really dull. It does not become less painful. But it stops being all day,...

How do you deal with grief 20 years after losing your dad? In this episode of Dead Dads Podcast, Mike Wasko talks about grief and loss, father loss, caregiving, therapy, bereavement, and what long-term grieving actually looks like. Mike’s dad, Bob, died 20 years ago. He is still figuring out what that means. At 29, Mike became his father’s primary caregiver after a cancer diagnosis. Then he walked...

What does grief actually look like after losing your dad? In this Dead Dads Check-In, we talk about the parts of father loss that don’t always get said out loud. The family vacation that feels off without him. The anniversary rituals that keep him close. The question of whether to keep his stuff or get rid of it. Crying in front of your kids. Dad jokes. Garage clutter. Random sayings. All of it. T...

John Abreu’s dad died suddenly. There was no will. No clear plan. No neat folder marked “open this when I’m gone,” which would have been nice. Instead, John had to tell his family, make decisions, deal with logistics, and process the fact that his dad was dead at the same time. In this episode of Dead Dads, John shares what it is like to lose a father when nothing is prepared. We talk about the ca...

Grief does not always arrive on schedule. Sometimes it waits. Greg Kettner thought he had processed the death of his father. He had a career, a family, a purpose. He even speaks to companies about mental health for a living. Then, one month after his dad died, Greg stood on stage in front of a full audience and completely broke down. In this episode of Dead Dads, Greg talks about delayed grief aft...

If your dad died and you just kept going, this is for you. There was no breakdown, no big moment, and no dramatic speech about taking time off. You just went back to work on Monday. You took care of everything. You said what needed to be said and filled out forms you never knew existed. At some point, you told yourself you were fine. And honestly, for the most part, you are. But then you notice yo...

If your dad died and you put the grief on the shelf marked “figure this out later,” right beside home repairs and that fitness plan you keep threatening to start, this episode is for you. Because grief has a rude habit of coming back. You assume there is time. Time to ask questions. Time to get things in order. Time to say what needs to be said. Then it happens. And you realize how much was not ac...

Coping with grief can feel isolating for men, especially when your dad dies and there isn’t really a place to talk about it. Welcome to the club no one wants to join. We are the grief support for men group that laughs way too much. Hit SUBSCRIBE to navigate father loss with us, and get your weekly dose of dark humor grief. Most men don’t talk about it. And when they do, it usually isn’t with laugh...

If your dad is still alive, you probably think you have time. Time to visit. Time to call. Time to ask better questions. Time to say the thing you keep saving for later. Most guys think that. Then the timeline shrinks without asking. In this episode of Dead Dads, Tiff talks about losing his dad, George, after a fast-moving cancer diagnosis. What first felt like years quickly became months. Suddenl...

Kevin Barrett’s dad died suddenly and alone. A heart attack in his bathroom. Nobody knew for four days. There was no goodbye. No last conversation. No chance to say the thing you assume you will eventually get around to saying. Just a phone call that changed everything. In this episode of Dead Dads, Kevin joins Roger and Scott to talk about what it is actually like when your dad dies suddenly, and...

How to cope with losing your dad: Scott and Roger share honest stories about grief, father loss, and why talking about it can make the pain easier to carry. Most men don’t talk about it. And when they do, it usually isn’t with laughter. In this introduction to Dead Dads, Scott and Roger explain why they started a podcast about losing your dad, grief, and how men actually deal with it. After realiz...