Last Day

What’s the point of going to treatment if you’ve essentially been dealt a death sentence? That’s the way some veterans feel about a potential PTSD diagnosis. Another thing holding people back? The fear that their trauma isn’t bad enough. So how do you admit you need help? And where do you turn when you’re ready? This week we’re joined by Jason Kander who served as an intelligence officer in Afghan...

After losing a loved one to suicide, “why” is often the first question that comes to mind. But what if you had a meticulous case file that filled in the blanks? This week, we talk to Sharon Kritzer, her older sister Noa, and their mom, Batia, about their sister Tali, her chronic depression, and the documentation she left behind that outlined all of it. We also call up Janis Whitlock from Jed, who...

They don’t get a lot of attention, but seniors are the most at risk to die by suicide. In 2014, Marguerite Reynolds lost her fiercely independent mother to suicide after a cornea injury left her feeling burdensome and debilitated. This week, we hear her story and are joined by professor and researcher, Yeates Conwell, who unpacks “The Four D’s” that put seniors at an increased risk for suicide. An...

In his TED Talk, “Be Human(e),” Dr. Jeremy Richman said, “We felt the world was spinning out of control and that if we didn't find something to hold on to, some reason to go on, that we'd get spun right off into this great darkness.” Jeremy delivered this message as both a neuroscientist and a grieving father. He lost his 6 yr old daughter, Avielle, in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. This...

The term “suicide contagion” gets thrown around a lot in academic papers and media headlines, but what does it actually mean? The term suggests that suicidal ideation is something you can catch, but the reality is much more complicated. This week, we navigate the complexities of suicide clusters from the heart of Silicon Valley, California to the soul of Cowboy Strong, Wyoming.   Season 2 of Last...

We open Season 2 of Last Day with a tale of two Kevins. One is Sergeant Kevin Briggs, also known as the guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge. The other is Kevin Berthia, an Oakland native who drove to that bridge on March 11, 2005 with the intent of ending his life. This week, we tell the larger story behind a moment of intervention — what led up to it and what happened in the 15 years since. We’re...

Last Day is back for a second season, and we’re tackling another important topic: mental health and the rising rates of suicide. With her baseline irreverence and wit, host Stephanie Wittels Wachs zooms in on a variety of “last days” — some that end tragically and others that have become powerful testaments of survival. Through first-person story-telling, thoughtful conversations, and in-depth col...

It’s National Suicide Prevention Week, and that means you’re probably seeing a lot of triggering content. We can relate. The Last Day team is hard at work producing season 2, which is all about the rising rate of suicide episode in this country. Why are more people at risk? What can we do to help? And how can we take care of each other when things feel so hopeless? Season 2 arrives Wednesday, Octo...

The Lumineers’ Jeremiah Fraites reflects on losing his older brother Josh to a heroin overdose in 2001 and the many ways Josh’s death has impacted his life. His mom, Kathy, joins him to fill in the holes that memory has left. From channeling grief through music to finding the “right” support, this candid and beautiful conversation about grief and loss will resonate deeply with Last Day listeners a...

We know, we know. We said we were done, but surprise! We’re back to reveal the topic for Last Day Season 2, ask for story submissions, and tell you a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes around here. Tune in! www.lemonadamedia.com/patreon Email us your story ideas to hey@lemonadamedia.com International Association for Suicide Prevention National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-82...

This week marks our 25th and final episode of Last Day, Season One. Today, Stephanie and Jess sit down--virtually--to reflect on favorite interviews and ah-ha moments, noting the ways the show has changed along the way and the moments that have changed them most. We also look at what’s next for the Last Day family with an exciting announcement!   Please note, Last Day contains strong language, mat...

This week, we meet Isaac Beverly who shares his journey from 5 years in prison to a 5-year medallion. Isaac has found a solid recovery plan that includes medication-assisted treatment at Eleanor Health and strong ties to a 12-step recovery community. His plan is working, and Isaac swears by it….but not everyone is on board. Now, Isaac is willing to make waves in order to make progress. Also! Fan f...

This week, we continue our treatment tour at Eleanor Health in High Point, North Carolina. It’s a new-ish (and pretty groundbreaking) outpatient clinic with a unique payment model and an emphasis on evidence-based care. We chat with our old friend, Dr. Nzinga A. Harrison, Eleanor’s Chief Medical Officer, about the clinic’s unparalleled access to MAT and their emphasis on a problem-solving, rather...

Addiction treatment in America is like a Rubik’s Cube. We’ve talked about this. We know this. We feel this. But good programs do exist. This week, we visit The Women’s Home in Houston, a non-profit established 60 years ago, to check out their long-term approach to residential treatment. We delve into the nuts and bolts of their program: 18 month stays, 30 hours a week of therapy, hands-on job trai...

This whole season we’ve focused on how to help people with substance use disorders. We’ve talked about the importance of harm-reduction and human connection, destigmatization and education. But to at least one of our listeners—a really important one—something is missing. Why not talk about punishing the people who make and sell drugs? China, Mexico, Purdue, the Sacklers? This week, we talk to two...

DeRay Mckesson and TeRay Ross are world-class community leaders, siblings, and the best of friends. They also grew up surrounded by addiction in both their immediate and extended family. As a result, they spent lots of time as kids hanging out in the back of 12 step meetings, absorbing lessons that continue to impact them as adults. This week, we sit down with DeRay, TeRay, and their dad, Calvin,...

When Emily found out she was pregnant, her life began to snowball in a positive direction. She stopped using heroin, reconnected with family and was rocking it as a new mom to her beloved daughter, Carter. Sadly, Emily relapsed and died when Cater was 9-months old, leaving Emily’s mom, Joanne, to navigate the unexpected journey of becoming a new mom all over again. Today, Carter is four years old...

Brandy and Wilma are two women who have a lot in common. They both grew up in California, they both experienced profound childhood trauma, and they both turned to drugs to soothe their pain. But their stories end very differently. Brandy died 10 years ago, at 28 years old. Wilma is now in her 50’s, approaching 10 years sober and living a busy, meaningful life. In this episode, we look at cycles of...

Dr. Gabor Maté is a world-renowned trauma expert who can (and will) deconstruct your happy childhood in a matter of minutes. At least, that’s what he did to our host, Stephanie. We start this episode with the question, “Why?” Why would someone get addicted to opioids? In this riveting interview, Dr. Maté expands our definition of trauma, breaks down how childhood trauma leaves wounds and how addic...

Dave and Chris co-hosted 142 episodes of Dopey, a recovery podcast about “drugs, addiction and dumb shit,” when the worst thing that could have ever happened, happened: Chris relapsed and died. This week, Stephanie sits down with Dave, who’s still hosting Dopey, to chat about Chris’s last day, recovery, and the transformative power of losing someone you love.  Please note, Last Day contains strong...

 A few years ago, Laurie McTeague noticed her teenage son, Ian, was uncharacteristically depressed. So she went snooping around on his phone and discovered that he’d been widely experimenting with nearly every drug under the sun. What followed was years of relentless searching for effective adolescent treatment while her son continued to relapse again and again. As a parent, how do you navigate th...

This season started with the question: How did we get here? How did Stefano and Harris overdose and die in their early 30s? How did our country lose 400,000 lives to opioids since 1999? In the new year, we turn our attention to other last day stories, and other kinds of last day stories. Brittany and Ahren are high school sweethearts who built a life and a family together, when “the blues” came in...

We asked. You answered. This week, we hear from Last Day listeners about why the holidays are so hard, different, stressful, all of the adjectives. Stephanie chats with Dr. Neha Kumar, a clinical psychologist, about tips to get through the season and ways we can honor our loved ones who are no longer with us. Drug and alcohol counselor Wilma Hawkinson discusses being newly sober during the holiday...

This week, Stephanie sits down with the parents—Stefano’s and her own—to dig into where everyone is with their grief, understanding, and personal responsibility around what happened to their sons. Hint, hint: The moms and dads are in very different places.  Please note, Last Day contains strong language, mature themes, and may not be suitable for all listeners.  Broken Justice podcast Casper.com/L...

This week, we circle back to where this story began — on the ground, in Boston, with Jess. Joined by new voices (Gary Mendell, Michael Botticelli, Mayor Marty Walsh) and familiar ones (Stefano’s wife, Paige), Jess delves into what it’s been like to produce a show that’s so deeply personal. By the end of the episode, she’s finally able to answer the question that drove her to create the show in the...