DEAD Talks

Bryan Callen — comedian, actor, and co-host of The Fighter & The Kid — joins DEAD Talks for a raw and hilarious conversation about comedy, spirituality, grief, and what it really takes to face life’s hardest challenges. Known for appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and as one of stand-up’s sharpest voices, Bryan brings humor and wisdom to a topic most people avoid: death. In this episode, Brya...

Death can break us — or it can become the catalyst that transforms us. After losing his mother to lung cancer, Blake Kasemeier turned grief into art, launching his acclaimed podcast series Good Grief and later expanding his storytelling on TikTok to reach millions. His work dives deep into parenthood, loss, healing, and the ways grief reshapes who we are. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Blake joins...

Death can break us — or it can become the catalyst that transforms us. After losing his mother to lung cancer, Blake Kasemeier turned grief into art, launching his acclaimed podcast series Good Grief and later expanding his storytelling on TikTok to reach millions. His work dives deep into parenthood, loss, healing, and the ways grief reshapes who we are. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Blake joins...

Grief comes in waves — and sometimes it brings experiences that are beyond explanation. Yasmine Aker shares her extraordinary story of loss, beginning with a near-death-like spiritual experience that shaped her beliefs about heaven, hell, and what comes after we die. After losing her father, she encountered unusual hallucinations and a unique grieving process that pushed her to explore life, death...

Grief comes in waves — and sometimes it brings experiences that are beyond explanation. Yasmine Aker shares her extraordinary story of loss, beginning with a near-death-like spiritual experience that shaped her beliefs about heaven, hell, and what comes after we die. After losing her father, she encountered unusual hallucinations and a unique grieving process that pushed her to explore life, death...

Her father abandoned her as a child — and the next time she saw him was on his deathbed. Stand-up comic Jessica Singleton shares her deeply personal grief journey of abandonment, trauma, and eventual forgiveness. From being left at a Waffle House as a kid to facing her father’s final moments, Jessica opens up about acceptance, grief, and the messy path toward healing. In this episode of DEAD Talks...

Her father abandoned her as a child — and the next time she saw him was on his deathbed. Stand-up comic Jessica Singleton shares her deeply personal grief journey of abandonment, trauma, and eventual forgiveness. From being left at a Waffle House as a kid to facing her father’s final moments, Jessica opens up about acceptance, grief, and the messy path toward healing. In this episode of DEAD Talks...

What happens when comedy meets grief? Stand-up comic Nick Simmons joins DEAD Talks to share his powerful story of losing his mother to cancer at just 17 years old — and how that experience shaped both his life and his comedy career. Nick’s mother was diagnosed when he was 11 and told she had only six months to live, yet she fought for years. That journey left Nick with raw, honest perspectives on...

What happens when comedy meets grief? Stand-up comic Nick Simmons joins DEAD Talks to share his powerful story of losing his mother to cancer at just 17 years old — and how that experience shaped both his life and his comedy career. Nick’s mother was diagnosed when he was 11 and told she had only six months to live, yet she fought for years. That journey left Nick with raw, honest perspectives on...

Natalie Weaver’s story is one of love, grief, and fierce advocacy. After losing her daughter Sophia in 2019 — a child born with facial differences and multiple disabilities — Natalie founded Sophia’s Voice to honor her memory and to fight for the rights of families navigating medical complexities. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Natalie joins David Ferrugio to share her mission to protect the disab...

Natalie Weaver’s story is one of love, grief, and fierce advocacy. After losing her daughter Sophia in 2019 — a child born with facial differences and multiple disabilities — Natalie founded Sophia’s Voice to honor her memory and to fight for the rights of families navigating medical complexities. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Natalie joins David Ferrugio to share her mission to protect the disab...

Grief just happens — often when we least expect it. For comedian Laura Shepard, that moment came when she got the call that her father had died suddenly from a blood clot. At the lowest point of her life, she faced the raw realities of grief, loss, and all the unexpected details no one prepares you for. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Laura joins David Ferrugio to share her journey of losing a pare...

Grief just happens — often when we least expect it. For comedian Laura Shepard, that moment came when she got the call that her father had died suddenly from a blood clot. At the lowest point of her life, she faced the raw realities of grief, loss, and all the unexpected details no one prepares you for. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Laura joins David Ferrugio to share her journey of losing a pare...

Marci Burton survived a plane crash in the mountains of Kodiak, Alaska — while pregnant with her daughter and alongside her young son. Against all odds, she and four others were the only survivors of one of the deadliest bush plane crashes in Alaskan history. In this gripping episode of DEAD Talks, Marci joins David Ferrugio to share not only her survival story, but also her journey of grief, the...

Marci Burton survived a plane crash in the mountains of Kodiak, Alaska — while pregnant with her daughter and alongside her young son. Against all odds, she and four others were the only survivors of one of the deadliest bush plane crashes in Alaskan history. In this gripping episode of DEAD Talks, Marci joins David Ferrugio to share not only her survival story, but also her journey of grief, the...

What happens when three siblings sit down to talk about losing their father on September 11th? In this very personal episode of DEAD Talks, David Ferrugio and his sisters share their perspectives on grief, family, and how loss reshaped their lives in different ways. Each sibling opens up about their unique grieving process, the memories they carry, and how their father’s death not only broke them...

What happens when three siblings sit down to talk about losing their father on September 11th? In this very personal episode of DEAD Talks, David Ferrugio and his sisters share their perspectives on grief, family, and how loss reshaped their lives in different ways. Each sibling opens up about their unique grieving process, the memories they carry, and how their father’s death not only broke them...

On September 11th, my mom lost her husband — and I lost my father. For the first time, she joins DEAD Talks to share her story of grief, resilience, and raising her children as a widow in the aftermath of 9/11. This deeply personal conversation captures how she remembers that day, how she navigated grieving while caring for her kids, and the strength it took to rebuild a life after devastating los...

On September 11th, my mom lost her husband — and I lost my father. For the first time, she joins DEAD Talks to share her story of grief, resilience, and raising her children as a widow in the aftermath of 9/11. This deeply personal conversation captures how she remembers that day, how she navigated grieving while caring for her kids, and the strength it took to rebuild a life after devastating los...

What really happens at the end of life? Hospice Nurse Hadley has witnessed extraordinary encounters from her patients — including moments where they saw their deceased loved ones before passing. These stories reveal as much about how we live as they do about how we die. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Nurse Hadley joins David Ferrugio to share the lessons she’s learned from the bedside, how her own...

What really happens at the end of life? Hospice Nurse Hadley has witnessed extraordinary encounters from her patients — including moments where they saw their deceased loved ones before passing. These stories reveal as much about how we live as they do about how we die. In this episode of DEAD Talks, Nurse Hadley joins David Ferrugio to share the lessons she’s learned from the bedside, how her own...

Can laughter really heal grief? Emmy Award–winning comedian Craig Shoemaker believes it can. Known as one of the funniest stand-ups of his generation and named Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic at the American Comedy Awards, Craig joins DEAD Talks to share how he’s turned decades of personal trauma and grief into healing through humor. In this conversation with David Ferrugio, Craig opens up about his...

Can laughter really heal grief? Emmy Award–winning comedian Craig Shoemaker believes it can. Known as one of the funniest stand-ups of his generation and named Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic at the American Comedy Awards, Craig joins DEAD Talks to share how he’s turned decades of personal trauma and grief into healing through humor. In this conversation with David Ferrugio, Craig opens up about his...

How do you actually deal with grief? Litsa Williams, grief therapist and co-founder of What’s Your Grief (a platform serving over 5 million people), joins DEAD Talks to share practical ways of coping with loss, anxiety, guilt, and the messy emotions grief leaves behind. In this conversation with David Ferrugio, Litsa offers guidance on how to support yourself or someone else after loss, how to app...

How do you actually deal with grief? Litsa Williams, grief therapist and co-founder of What’s Your Grief (a platform serving over 5 million people), joins DEAD Talks to share practical ways of coping with loss, anxiety, guilt, and the messy emotions grief leaves behind. In this conversation with David Ferrugio, Litsa offers guidance on how to support yourself or someone else after loss, how to app...