Guest Interviews

Today’s guest has lived life after losing a child for nearly thirty years, which means he brings decades of hard-won wisdom and the honesty of someone who still remembers the darkness well. Like most pareavors, Tracy Brinkmann never imagined he could climb out of that crushing place of grief. But his story is a powerful […]

In recognition of National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (Nov. 22), today’s episode features a deeply heartfelt conversation with a remarkable pareavor, Carol Krawiec. Carol has endured the unimaginable, losing three of her five sons, with her most recent loss being to suicide. She opens her heart and shares the stories of her boys, the […]

In this powerful conversation, Laura talks with award-winning novelist and journalist John DeDakis, who shares how writing became a source of healing after the death of his son, Stephen. Even if you’ve never thought of yourself as a writer, this episode offers hope and encouragement to help you process your grief in a deeply personal […]

When a baby is born after a pregnancy loss, it is often called a “rainbow baby”. We all know one child can never replace another, and it certainly does not remove the grief of the child who was conceived but is not here with us. However, most will agree that there is an ache that […]

When our child dies, life as we know it comes to a sudden stop. There is now a before and after. Today’s guest, Mick Wienholt, shares his story of losing his firstborn son, Luke, and how that loss changed not only his life, but his eternity.  Mick admits that before Luke’s death, he and his […]

In this episode of Grieving Parents Sharing Hope: Can God Really Heal My Hurting Heart?, I sit down with Rachel “Wojo” Wojnarowski, who knows the deep pain of child loss firsthand. After miscarriages and saying goodbye to her precious daughter Taylor, who lived 22 years with courage and faith, Rachel learned to cling to prayer […]

In this episode of Grieving Parents Sharing Hope: Bringing Our Pain to God After Child Loss, I talk with Carol Renfro, a mom just two years into this journey of child loss. Carol’s only child, Jeff-Free (known as Free), died by suicide at the age of 33. Though her grief is still very fresh, she […]

This episode is not just for parents losing a disabled child or who have lost a child, but for anyone who questions how a severely disabled child can have a life worth living.  What you are about to listen to is raw and real. Two moms who had children with severe disabilities from premature births […]

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Laura welcomes Lisa Espinoza to share the deeply personal story of losing her 25-year-old son, Chandler, after he was struck by a car and spent 18 days in the ICU before passing away on January 1st. Lisa opens up about the unique challenges of grieving during the holiday season, […]

In today’s episode, Laura talks with Kim Harms, who has lost both a mom and a son to suicide and also found herself widowed.  Even with all these losses, Kim has been able to learn how to live a life of meaning and purpose, and loves to encourage others that they can do the same.  […]

In today’s episode you will be hearing from Laura’s husband, Dave, along with a long-time friend, Matt Poelman, who lost his son, Eric, while serving in the military in Iraq.  Some of the things discussed were: The emotions Matt felt  How he and his wife, Sally, dealt with the death of their son differently How […]

Today’s guest has a very traumatic story. Before ending his own life, Jacke’s son, Randy, attempted to kill his wife, his two young children and his father-in-law. It is a riveting story (within the horrible tragedy) that ends with hope and encouragement. However, Laura fully understands there may be some triggers, as Jacke shares some […]

Today is the continuation of a conversation Laura had with Greg and Cathy Bufkin. In last week’s discussion and this week, the talk goes beyond the topic of suicide, so no matter how your child left this earth, you will be encouraged by what is shared. Greg and Cathy Buffkin lost their son, Ryan, to […]

Today Laura is diving into the topic of suicide with guests Greg and Cathy Buffkin. However, their conversation goes beyond that, giving help and hope to anyone who has lost a child. Greg and Cathy Buffkin lost their son, Ryan, to suicide in 2015. On their journey that began out of unspeakable trauma and brokenness, […]

A few weeks ago, Laura’s friend, Nancy Weil, sent out an email to the presenters on the 2025 Grief Cruise, asking what they thought about the difference between regret and guilt. One of Nancy’s grief support groups were discussing this, so she decided to see what the presenters’ thoughts were on this. Laura decided this […]

Today you will be hearing Laura interview Glen Lord, who has been on this grief journey of child loss since 1999, when his five-year-old son, Noah, died. Glen’s heart of compassion comes through, along with nuggets that can be tucked away and pulled out when needed while on this unwanted journey. Glen Lord was on […]

Hearing how other parents have gotten through the suffocating darkness of child loss can bring a spark of hope, especially when you know they have had some of the same confusing thoughts and struggles. Today’s episode is an unusual and special one, as Dave and Laura are being interviewed by Greg Buffkin to give bereaved […]

The holidays can be absolutely brutal to those of us who have lost a child, especially those first few years. Even as we get further down the road, we never know how this time of year is going to affect us. In today’s episode, Laura talks to two different pareavors on how they have navigated […]

Today you are going to hear from a new friend and fellow pareavor, Kim Avery. Kim has so many things to share from a heart that is kind and caring, while encouraging us to learn how to walk from the place of grace that God has for us for the moment we are in. Twenty […]

In those first few months (or even first two or three years) many pareavors (bereaved parents) have a hard time believing they will get to the point where they are not in the place of suffocating grief they have found themselves thrown into. There are thousands of pareavors who are several years down the road, […]

As parents who have lost a child, we all know people who have said things that are inappropriate or just plain hurtful. In this episode, you are going to hear from two very special ladies in a conversation with Laura, about things people say that are just not true, in their attempt to make us […]

When we are in that dark pit of grief after child loss, we are in a very vulnerable place, making us an easy target for the enemy to get a foothold. It might be through things we were taught about God that make us angry at Him. It could be through our desperate need for […]

Today’s topic is one Laura gets asked about in emails, which is addressing the issue of losing friends we thought would be there for us in our time of grief. Laura and her guest, June Collins, talk about this from June’s experience of losing her 2-year-old son 12 years ago. Their conversation has a lot […]

Everyone who has lost a child is affected in some way in the area of grandchildren, making it a big topic with many angles. In last week’s episode, Laura talked about those who have grandchildren through their child who is no longer here, and how quite often those grandchildren are removed from our lives (which […]

“What does this whole child-loss-thing look like, years down the road?” Believe it or not, this is a question Laura has been asked a few times. Those first few years, we are just trying to get through the next minute, much less the next day or the next year. But after a while, when a […]