The Grief and Belief Podcast

In part two of their interview, Troy and Deedra Russell discuss the far-reaching impact of their story. Troy shares how his home teacher’s persistent invitation to play basketball helped him navigate the "unrelenting" grief of losing their son, Austen. This experience of dedicated ministering was later shared by Elder Holland in General Conference, leading to a video viewed by millions....

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast, where hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews interview Troy and Deedra Russell. The Russells share the tragic story of losing their son, Austen, when he was just nine years old after he was accidentally run over by Troy's truck in May 2015. Austen, the third of five children, was a beloved, fun-loving "phenom" athlete, especially talented in b...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast. David and Kori interview Sandy Smith, a friend and experienced therapist. Sandy shares the story of her daughter, Stephanie, who passed away 35 years ago in 1990 at only 14 months old. Stephanie, the youngest of nine, was adored by her older siblings. Sandy recounts the traumatic moment Stephanie drowned in the family pool in Argentina, followed by the chal...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast. Hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews interview Jenni Theobald, who shares the traumatic story of losing her son, Adam, when she was approximately 25 weeks along in the year 2000. Jenni recounts being on a trip to Las Vegas when she woke up in labor. In the hospital, an ultrasound tech brutally informed her: "Your baby's dead" because there w...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast. Hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews interview Jordan Robertson, who shares the powerful story of losing her husband, Jake Robertson, to Glioblastoma Multiforme almost ten years ago. Jake was an attorney, a devoted BYU Cougar fan, and described as the perfect girl dad to their four young children. Jordan recounts the shocking and sudden terminal diagnosis...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast, featuring the talented artist and social media personality, Jenedy Paige, who is also known for her appearance on American Ninja Warrior. Jenedy joins David Mickelson and Kori Andrews to share the profound story of losing her three-year-old son, Victory Morgan. She beautifully describes her early life as a "Disney princess" living in a metaphorica...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast. Hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews welcome Jessica Westover, a practicing marriage and family therapist, who shares how her education combines with her personal loss experiences to help bring hope to others. Jessica recounts her first traumatic grief experience: a missed miscarriage during her initial pregnancy. This profound loss was compounded when he...

In this powerful episode, we introduce Kyle Beagley, who shares the story of losing his daughter, Kirsten Beagley, during her senior year of high school in 2024. Kyle lovingly recalls Kirsten’s light and big blue eyes, noting that she was dedicated to dance and served as the drill team captain. A determined goal setter, Kirsten achieved her major goal of winning a drill-down competition about a mo...

This episode of the Grief and Belief podcast features hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews interviewing their friend, Ben Cummings, a university professor. Ben shares the profoundly difficult yet ultimately hopeful story of his daughter, Eleanor, who passed away from a rare form of leukemia (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, or APML) at the age of about three and a half. Eleanor is lovingly remember...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast, hosted by David Mickelson and Kori Andrews, where we share stories of hope. In this episode, we welcome April Engstrom, who shares her experience regarding the passing of her mother, Cheryl Anne McLane, who died in 2020 due to her seventh bout of cancer. April was connected to the show by a friend from an earlier interview, Mary Colton. April introduces Che...

Welcome to the Grief and Belief podcast, hosted by David Mickelson and Kori Andrews, featuring Tiffany Oldham. Tiffany shares her powerful story of faith and the reality of angels. Tiffany and her husband, Jed, are married 18 years and live in a farming community outside Spanish Fork, Utah, raising their five children. They discuss their oldest son, George, a beloved "leader of the pack"...

In this episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, hosts David Mickelson and Corey Andrews welcome Stu Davis to share the powerful story of losing his son, Grant, 19 years ago. Stu, an orthopedic surgeon, active outdoorsman, and a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, provides a glimpse into his family's life and his journey through medical school and his career. He describ...

This episode of the Grief and Belief podcast features hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews interviewing their friend, Cindy Thredgold, who shares the story of her son, Connor. Connor, known by his family as a responsible "doer" who loved repairing cars, passed away as a missionary in the Taiwan Taipei mission in 2014. He and his companion tragically died from carbon monoxide poisoning,...

In this episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews sit down with Addie Billman to discuss her story of profound loss, faith, and the protective power of angels. Addie shares how she met her fun and energetic husband, Wyatt, their love story, and the joy they shared with their young son, Arlo. Just two months shy of their second wedding anniversary, Wyatt was tr...

In this deeply moving episode, we hear from Krista Isaacson, who bravely shares her journey as a self-described "hopeful mourner" after the passing of her cherished daughter, Elora. A mother of six and grandmother of three, Krista illuminates how her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ has been her anchor, providing solace and purpose through unimaginable grief. Krista recounts a profound personal ex...

Welcome to a poignant episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, featuring Mikkele Daybell, who offers her unique perspective as the older sister to Grant, whose story was previously shared by their mother, April Gallier, in episode 16. Mikkele, now 25, grew up in Springville, Utah, taking on a significant caregiving role for Grant from a young age, including managing his G-tube and medications and...

This podcast episode features Jared, a recent high school graduate, discussing the sudden and tragic deaths of his brother and father within weeks of each other. Jared shares how he coped with immense grief by finding purpose through service and a church history trip, where he received a personal spiritual confirmation that his loved ones were still nearby. He emphasizes the profound impact of com...

***This episode does contain some references to suicide without specific details of the event*** This podcast episode features Jennifer Suiter, who shares her incredibly poignant story of losing both her son, Brian, and husband, Chris, within a 20-day period. The hosts guide Jennifer as she eloquently describes her loved ones, emphasizing Brian's journey from a friendless child to a compassionate...

In this insightful episode, the Grief and Belief podcast features Kyle Lemmon, a long-time friend of David Mickelson. Kyle introduces himself as a father of a blended family with 6 children, ranging from ages 10 to 20 years old. The interview centers on Kyle's profound experience of losing his first wife, Andrea, in 2012 due to bacterial meningitis, a tragic event that occurred suddenly after...

In this moving episode, Shalee Taylor courageously shares her deeply personal journey of coping with seven miscarriages. She recounts the profound emotional toll each loss took, from initial excitement to anger, deep sadness, and even numbness. Shalee reveals that after her fourth miscarriage, she felt broken, with faith in God but no hope in Him. However, a transformative insight from the New Tes...

In this special episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, we welcome Jessica Brandley. Jessica shares her deeply personal journey of honoring grief after the unexpected passing of her husband, Jim. Jim, described as fun-loving and full of life, tragically died after an accident. Jessica recounts the harrowing hours leading up to his death, including the moment he asked, "Are you going to be okay wh...

This podcast episode of Grief and Belief features David Mickelson and guest co-host Brian Mickelson interviewing LeGrand Laing, a seminary teacher. The core of the discussion revolves around LeGrand's experience of grieving the unexpected death of his eldest son, Brayden, who passed away at 21 in a motorcycle accident. Throughout the interview, LeGrand emphasizes Brayden's exceptionally po...

Follow along on social media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Community Join us for a powerful and deeply moving episode with Jen Dyal, sharing her journey of grief and belief after the loss of her oldest son, Jack, at just nine years old in 2016. Jack was a beloved, kind, and unifying spirit. Jen recounts the auto...

Join us for a special combined episode featuring Kallie Andrews, Kori's oldest daughter, and Allie Mickelson, David's youngest daughter. You'll hear these two remarkable young women share their unique experiences with grief and belief after losing their sisters, Kamryn and Ava, when they were both nine years old. Kallie recounts the unexpected and rapid events surrounding Kamryn's birth and 38-day...

In this episode of the Grief and Belief podcast, hosts David Mickelson and Kori Andrews welcome Ryan and Valerie Davies, who share the heart-wrenching story of losing their son, Tanner. Their conversation centers on the theme of grace—an idea that resonates deeply with both hosts, who each have daughters named Grace. Valerie reflects on her upbringing in Southern California, her move to Provo for...