The Functioning Griefster

Send a text In this powerful episode, I sit down with Kerry, a devoted mum whose world changed in an instant when a tragic accident took both her husband, David, and their son, Cameron. Cameron wasn’t just any boy, he was a rising football star with a professional contract and a heart that lived for his friends, his family, and the game. Kerry opens up about the day that shattered her world, the s...

Send a text He’d done it before and woken up euphoric. This time, he didn’t.” “We left the house as four. We came back as three.” It was just a normal school day. Isaac rode shotgun, grabbed his favourite Doritos, and ran upstairs like he always did. A few minutes later, Lisa called him for dinner. When he didn’t answer, she assumed he was playing a prank. But when she broke down the locked bathro...

Send a text A loyal, vulnerable boy betrayed. They groomed him, they lured him, they stabbed him. A murder planned online, their posts, BECAME PROOF. Olly Stephens was just 13 years old, a boy who loved doing wheelies, baking, cooking, making people laugh, and standing up for others. He was a son, a brother, a friend. But his loyalty and vulnerability were exploited. Groomed by older boys who glam...

Send a text From Warrington to the world — the LGBTQ+ community mourned Brianna Ghey after her tragic murder. But this is her mother’s story. Her pain. Her insight into who Brianna truly was. Esther was a young single mum to two beautiful children — Brett and his sister. Life was full of memories until a “three became four” when she met her husband, and their family felt complete. Brett was openly...

Send a text “ She strutted down that catwalk in shoes two sizes too big — and still looked like a queen .” In this episode of The Functioning Griefster , I sit down with Jenny, fellow young mum, ADHD soul, and mother of Leah, a teenage cancer warrior and TikTok creator whose light continues to shine even after her passing. Leah was studying childcare, juggling two jobs, falling in love, and had ju...

Send us Fan Mail He was only twelve, full of energy, laughter and evening plans with his mum. In April 2022, Archie Battersby, was found by his mum, Hollie Dance, unconscious at home after a fun afternoon together with evening plans to go to the cinema. There was no warning, just a four minute 23 seconds phone call and a dressing gown cord that changed their life forever. Hollie, believes he was t...

Send a text Luke Tyler was 20. A charismatic, spontaneous, witty, lovable yet humble soul, popular in the car community with an impressive TikTok following, who loved driving, especially japanese cars, including his 1991 Eunoroadster and 1998 Toyota Celica. Driving helped his mental health, gave him freedom, it was his escape. On the 13th of October 2023, Luke left the house like he’d done many ti...

Send a text He was only 18. It was New Year’s Eve. While most were celebrating, Naomi got a call from Canada: her son Jay had collapsed and was in intensive care. She rushed home — but what followed was every parent’s nightmare. Jay had gone into cardiac arrest from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) — the same silent threat that has tragically taken footballers mid-game on live TV. Around 50...

Send a text They told her there was no heartbeat. What follow is something no parent should ever endure. Next line in this episode, I sit with Sharon, founder of The Luca foundation ,as we open up about what it means to give birth to a sleeping baby. We share our own experiences, the silence in that delivery room, and the moment after that no parent is ever prepared  Sharon’s son Luca, was lost tw...

Send a text In the very first episode of The Functioning Griefster, I share the promise that she made to my son, Dec, to keep saying his name and to help others. Recorded in the back of the van where Dec took his last breath this Podcast invite’s those grieving, to tell their stories with honesty, heart and hope. This series is called a mother’s love a child’s Legacy. Where other grieving mum’s jo...