Grieving Out Loud: A Mother Coping with Loss in the Opioid Epidemic

On this episode of Grieving Out Loud, we’re having an important one-on-one conversation with a key figure from President Trump’s administration—someone deeply involved in shaping how our country responds to the addiction and mental health crisis. Right now, more than 48 million Americans are living with substance use disorder. Yet, the administration is proposing a $56 million cut to a federal gra...

Most of us have a daily to-do list—sometimes scribbled on paper, sometimes just running through our heads. But today’s guest on Grieving Out Loud invites you to consider a different kind of list: a to-die list. Bestselling author and self-help coach Karen Salmansohn has written more than 25 books for adults and tweens, with more than two million books and courses sold. Her work has been featured i...

Most of us would never imagine taking on the role of a law enforcement investigator. But for so many grieving parents, that’s exactly what they’ve had to do. After losing their children to fentanyl, they find themselves combing through phone records, tracing dealers, and trying to uncover the truth—because no one else will. For too long, overdose deaths were dismissed as tragic accidents. And whil...

Imagine walking into a room lined with hand-drawn graphite portraits—each one capturing the face of someone lost to fentanyl poisoning or a drug overdose. It’s a powerful experience, one that says more than statistics ever could. That’s the vision behind the INTO LIGHT Project , a nationwide nonprofit turning personal tragedy into public awareness through art. On this episode of Grieving Out Loud,...

 When parents find out their child is facing a serious challenge, most will do whatever it takes to help. That was certainly true for Janel Rodriguez after she learned her teenage son was battling a marijuana addiction. But despite her efforts, Janel's world was shattered in a way she never saw coming. Just weeks into his sophomore year, her son Noah bought what he believed was a Percocet. It...

Around three dozen of her friends—that’s how many lives Morgan Mentele believes have been saved thanks to Emily’s Hope distributing free naloxone in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area. In this powerful episode of Grieving Out Loud, Morgan courageously opens up about her journey: how she went from being a mom of two and Sunday School teacher to battling substance use disorder, how recovery finally...

To some people, “the media” has become a dirty word. There’s no doubt—journalism is a tough job, especially in today’s divided world. Between public scrutiny and constant deadlines, award-winning journalist Taylor Six felt the pressure closing in. Behind the scenes, she was quietly fighting a hidden battle with substance use disorder. For years, she kept it secret. But now, Taylor is breaking the...

Identical twins often share an extraordinary bond—shaped not only by shared DNA but by a deep emotional connection. For Christa Parravani and her twin sister, Cara, that bond was strengthened by a difficult, abusive childhood. But then came the unimaginable. After Cara was kidnapped and raped, she spiraled into trauma, eventually turning to drugs. Tragically, she died from fentanyl poisoning. Chri...

There’s something uniquely powerful about the bond between siblings. They’re like built-in best friends — there for the good, the bad, and everything in between. But when someone loses a brother or sister, their grief is often overlooked. Many people focus on the parents or the children and forget that siblings are mourning too. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, we continue our series on sibli...

In this deeply personal episode of Grieving Out Loud, host Angela Kennecke sits down with her own children to talk about the very public loss of their sister, Emily, who died of fentanyl poisoning in 2018. While the nation saw the news story, what it didn’t see was the quiet heartbreak that unfolded behind closed doors.  In episode one of What About Us? Stories of Sibling Grief , each sibling shar...

Sometimes, life delivers blow after blow, leaving you gasping for air. Whether it’s the loss of a job, a home, or someone you love, grief can feel all-consuming—like joy may never return. For Betsy Stephenson, the heartbreak came in rapid succession. Within just six weeks, she lost her mother-in-law to dementia, her family dog to cancer, and—most devastating of all—her son to suicide. But instead...

As more states legalize marijuana, its use is on the rise across the country. A recent analysis of National Survey on Drug Use and Health data shows that daily marijuana consumption has now surpassed daily alcohol use. But for one grieving mother, the growing acceptance of the drug comes with an urgent warning—where it comes from matters, and one bad decision can be deadly. Paula Santos-Young says...

Social media can be a great way to connect with friends and family, but do you really know what your child is doing online? The DEA warns that drug networks are increasingly using these platforms to find new customers, while sex traffickers also exploit them to lure victims. Now, the FBI is raising alarms about a rise in violent online networks targeting kids. Julianna Arnold’s mother knows these...

As the United States continues to grapple with a deadly opioid crisis, Narcan—a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses—has become more accessible. Experts credit this expanded availability as one reason overdose deaths have declined over the past year. But Narcan can only save a life if someone is there to administer it—and that’s not always the case. Many people struggling with substance us...

Nicolas Getz once had a very specific image of what someone suffering from drug addiction looked like—a person panhandling on the street, wearing tattered clothing. But in his 20s, he learned firsthand that addiction doesn’t fit a single stereotype. Substance use disorder affects 48.5 million Americans, or 17 percent of the population. Getz became part of that statistic, struggling with opioid add...

Peter and Erica Zurkow never imagined they would be part of a nationwide TV special —especially for a reason that once felt unimaginable. They thought their 23-year-old son, Henry, was safe in his own home, sleeping soundly in his bedroom. But in reality, he was in danger. The pill he purchased through Craigslist turned out to be deadly. In this emotional episode of Grieving Out Loud , the Zurkows...

As more states legalize marijuana, its use is becoming increasingly normalized—even among teenagers. According to the latest data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one in four high school seniors reported using cannabis in the past year. But on today’s episode of Grieving Out Loud, a grieving mother is warning others about the risks. Laura Stack wasn’t overly concerned when her 14-year-ol...

From an abusive childhood to growing up in extreme poverty and joining a gang at just 11 years old, Jose Rivera’s path could have led to devastation. Most of the people he once ran with are no longer alive—but Jose beat the odds. Now, he's dedicating his life to helping others struggling with abuse, mental health challenges and substance use disorder. Hear his powerful story, why he thinks he...

Every six minutes, an American dies from a drug overdose—let that sink in. Every six minutes. The United States is in the midst of its deadliest drug epidemic, yet many overdose deaths could be prevented. One critical warning sign? A non-fatal overdose. Survivors of an overdose face a significantly higher risk of another—one that could be fatal. Research shows that among emergency room patients tr...

From movies like The Morning Show to classic TV series like The Mary Tyler Moore Show , audiences have long been captivated by the fast-paced world of journalism. But behind the scenes, real-life newsrooms can be anything but glamorous. Journalism is a high-pressure profession, with tight deadlines and little room for error. While there isn’t a widely recognized statistic proving that journalists...

As an evening news anchor, Laura Monteverdi is used to reporting difficult stories—but one of the hardest stories she’s ever told is her own. In this powerful episode of Grieving Out Loud , Laura opens up about the devastating loss of her boyfriend, Brock Eidsness, to a heroin overdose. At just 27 years old, Brock was full of life and ambition, working toward a successful career in film production...

Chances are, you or someone you know is battling substance use disorder. The latest numbers from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that nearly 49 million Americans struggle with addiction. Getting help is tough. First, there’s the hard part: admitting there’s a problem and deciding to seek treatment, especially with the stigma surrounding addiction. Then comes another huge chall...

From infertility struggles to adoption, and then watching her child fight cancer, Brenda Reedy’s journey has been anything but easy. Through every challenge, she faced it with unwavering dedication and resilience. But just as she thought the worst was behind her, life took another heartbreaking turn—when her son entered his teenage years, he began battling addiction. Brenda made difficult choices,...

To battle the nation’s opioid and substance use disorder epidemic, Minnesota has created a new position focused on the problem. The governor appointed Jeremy Drucker to serve as the administration’s first Addiction and Recovery Director. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, host Angela Kennecke sits down with Drucker to gather his insights both professionally and personally on overcoming addictio...

People from across the nation will come together this September to walk in support of raising awareness about the fentanyl crisis. Surprisingly, the man behind this movement doesn’t have a personal connection to the epidemic. Instead, his mission was sparked when he ran through a town grappling with the opioid crisis and felt compelled to make a difference. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, he...