Don't Forget To Breathe: A Podcast for Living after Child Loss.

Get in touch In this first part of a two-episode conversation, host Bruce Barker sits down with Kristin, one of the founders and former Executive Director of a Colorado-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting families who have experienced child loss. Kristin shares the early chapters of her grief journey and the deeply personal story that led her to create a safe haven for parents in their darkest...

Get in touch The holidays can be one of the hardest times for grieving parents. Between memories of what once was and the silence of what’s missing, emotions can feel overwhelming. In this heartfelt episode of Don’t Forget To Breathe , host Bruce Barker shares gentle reflections and practical coping strategies for navigating the season after child loss. Discover ways to approach family gatherings,...

Get in touch My guest, Sheila Johnson Wilson, a writer, musician, and professional coordinator, has endured the loss of more than 20 loved ones, including 17 in just five years. Through deep personal work, she’s found healing and now shares her story to inspire others with courage to heal, support one another, and dream again. Contact information for Sheila and William Wood are: ohohsheilaonline@g...

Get in touch In part three of my conversation with Marnie, she shares life after Joey’s death in 2022; the weight of grief, the struggles, and the ways she continues forward while holding onto her daughter’s memory. Unlike the first two episodes, we recorded this in Marnie’s home, where she invited me into Joey’s room, unchanged since the last time she slept there. Surrounded by Joey’s art and pre...

Get in touch In the second of three conversations, Marnie continues sharing the story of her daughter, Joey, this time moving into the heartbreaking account of her final days and the moment of her death. Alongside the deep pain, Marnie reflects with tenderness and honesty on the love that carried them through. Recorded in a bustling coffeehouse, this episode invites you to listen past the backgrou...

Get in touch In the first of three conversations, Marnie from Colorado opens her heart to share memories of her daughter, Joey and the devastating medical diagnosis, countless hospital visits, and the daily fight to keep her alive, as well as the laughter, adventures, and everyday moments that filled their life with love. Recorded in a cozy coffeehouse, this episode invites you to see Joey through...

Get in touch In this episode, I revisit one of the most talked-about topics from Season 2, Episode 9: Did You Really Just Say That? We’ll reflect on some of the surprising, hurtful, or well-meaning-but-wrong things people say to grieving parents. I also share a few new comments I’ve heard recently from others in my grief support groups. If you've ever been on the receiving end of words that m...

Get in touch Nineteen years ago today, Kristen died. In this short episode, I reflect on the weight of this day, what it brings up, how I’ve coped, and the ways I’ve honored her memory through the years. Grief changes, but it never disappears. This is a quiet space to remember, to feel, and to share the journey of healing. Support the show Help keep the Don’t Forget To Breathe podcast going. Becom...

Get in touch Where Has Bruce Been? After a three-year pause, Don’t Forget To Breathe returns with a raw and transparent look at the life-changing events that kept Bruce away from the mic. In this powerful relaunch, Bruce shares his journey through divorce, trauma, therapy, self-discovery, healing, and a new direction in life. It's a fresh chapter, honest, heartfelt, and rooted in the hope of...

Get in touch After more than three years away from the mic, I’m back with Season 3, bringing heartfelt, healing conversations around life after child loss. This season features solo reflections, revisits to powerful past topics, and honest stories from fellow grieving parents. I may not be a professional, just a dad walking this journey, but I hope these episodes help you feel seen, heard, and les...

Get in touch This will be a really short chat; I didn’t plan on doing an episode for a couple of weeks, but this thought popped up and I wanted to share it. This will be short, but hopefully, you will find something in it that might help. The big theme of my New Year’s Message…YOU MADE IT! Support the show Help keep the Don’t Forget To Breathe podcast going. Become a supporter today and be part of...

Get in touch In the midst of the Holidays, The First Time Since talks about those events, favorite places and special occasions that we experience for the first time since losing a child, or anyone close to us. Simply living life day by day will reveal moments of remembrance that can trigger sorrow, pain, anger and more. But this can feel overwhelming during the Holiday season. If only to know tha...

Get in touch I believe that during the course of our lives, both individually and collectively, our daily activities, experiences and relationships are woven together to eventually form an amazing and complex tapestry; our very own life’s tapestry. A tapestry is made up of so many threads, each with its own purpose and distinct place in the pattern being created.  But why those threads; why then;...

Get in touch It was time to go back to Denver; time to get out of Louisiana; time to leave behind the horrible experience of burying my daughter. There was nothing to live for any longer. I was cloaked in despair; a walking death-wish. But someone had another plan for my life. This is the story of a divine encounter that changed everything. Support the show Help keep the Don’t Forget To Breathe po...

Get in touch From the moment I entered the Funeral Home until the time I exited, I was left with a lasting impression of the "business" of funerals. On top of being there because my child had died, the experience was one that I hope no parent will need to go through, even though I know it happens every single day to someone. Support the show Help keep the Don’t Forget To Breathe podcast...

Get in touch So on a day like any other, I got the call no parent ever wants to get, or ever really imagines they will, and one they never should. My daughter was dead. This episode covers the moment my life changed forever, and the living nightmare that began the next chapter of my life. Support the show Help keep the Don’t Forget To Breathe podcast going. Become a supporter today and be part of...

Get in touch Don’t Forget to Breathe is a podcast about child loss, grief, and the life that follows a tragedy no parent should ever have to endure. Created and hosted by bereaved father Bruce Barker, the podcast began as one dad’s story after the sudden loss of his 20-year-old daughter, and has grown into a shared space for parents navigating unimaginable loss. Across multiple seasons, Bruce spea...