The Surviving Siblings®

On Episode 10 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Emily O'Brien, a surviving sibling, who shares the story of losing her brother Pete to a rare and devastating case of encephalitis that developed from what initially seemed like a simple ear infection. Emily takes us back to her childhood growing up in Michigan with her only sibling, Pete. Just 28 months a...

On Episode 9 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Sarah, a surviving sibling, who shares the story of losing her older brother Joel in a tragic motorcycle accident after years of struggling with mental health, addiction, and life on the edge. Sarah takes us back to her childhood growing up in Kingston, Washington, a small town surrounded by nature, ferries...

On Episode 8 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Val Lentini, a surviving sibling, who shares the story of losing her brother Andreas—"Andy"—to a tragic skateboarding accident just weeks after one of the most meaningful milestones they shared together. Val takes us back to her childhood growing up with her only sibling, her younger brother Andy. Just two...

On Episode 7 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Kara Leigh, a surviving sibling, who shares the story of losing her brother Brandon after a long battle with addiction—and the unexpected reality of learning his official cause of death was emphysema. Kara takes us back to her childhood growing up in a family of three siblings, where Brandon was her older b...

On Episode 6 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Teri Gosselin, a surviving sibling, speaker, and grief advocate, who shares the story of losing her brother Joey to complications related to Marfan Syndrome—and how that loss forever intertwined grief, love, family, and purpose in her life. Teri takes us back to her childhood growing up just outside of Wash...

On Episode 5 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Dr. Heather Taylor, a surviving sibling, therapist, and grief advocate, who shares the story of losing her brother, Garrett, to an accidental overdose, and how that loss completely reshaped her life, her career, and her mission in the grief space. Heather takes us back to her childhood growing up in a small...

On Episode 4 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Erica Bohn, a surviving sibling who shares the story of losing her brother, TJ, in a car accident over 30 years ago, and how that loss shaped her life, her healing, and ultimately her path into helping others. Erica takes us back to her childhood growing up in a close-knit Midwestern family. Both she and he...

On Episode 3 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Gyani, a surviving sibling and grief professional, who shares the story of losing his brother, Pete, to cancer, and how earlier loss in his life shaped the path he walks today. Gyani takes us back to his first encounter with grief at 13, when his father died of cancer. Raised in what he describes as a "Leav...

On Season 9, Episode 2 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Earla Dawn, who shares the story of losing her sister, Leigh-Ann, to pancreatic cancer. Earla takes us back to their childhood on the prairies, four siblings, endless fun, and the kind of relationship that started with "fighting like cats and dogs"… and grew into a deep, lifelong bond. Leigh-Ann was the polis...

On episode 1 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast® host, Maya Roffler is joined by Stephen Stott who opens up about the tragic loss of his sister, Stacy, to a car accident 24 years ago. Stephen was just 16 when his life changed forever. After being "voluntold" to accompany his sister to a cheerleading camp six hours away, he shared a moment of deep personal truth with her the first person...

On episode 10 of season 8 of The Surviving Siblings® Podcast, guest host Chelsey McHale takes over the mic to interview podcast founder and host Maya Roffler in a deeply personal and reflective conversation. With 2026 marking 10 years since the loss of her brother Andreas, Maya opens up about what this milestone means to her, how her grief has evolved, and the legacy her brother continues to leave...

On episode 9 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler sits down with Katherine Mandzak, a writer and advocate, as she opens up about losing her beloved younger brother Colin to a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer.  From growing up as inseparable homeschool siblings to navigating a shocking cancer diagnosis, Katherine shares the raw reality of becoming the only...

On episode 8 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler speaks with Dan Dunsmore, a devoted brother, father, and educator who shares the heartbreaking story of losing his sister Patti at just 13 years old to a sudden and misdiagnosed case of appendicitis. Dan takes us back to 1968 in South Knoxville, Tennessee, and walks us through the idyllic beginnings of his childhood, f...

On episode 7 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler sits down with Dawn, a surviving sibling who opens up about the unexpected loss of her brother Justin, just weeks before his wedding day. Dawn shares the full arc of their sibling bond, from pranks and family laughter, to the hidden pain Justin carried, to the shock of losing him to suicide in 2013. Through her storyte...

On episode 6 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler sits down with Tommy, a surviving sibling who lost two brothers—John to addiction and Tim to cancer. Tommy shares a powerful testimony of family, trauma, guilt, grief, and recovery offering a rare and vulnerable glimpse into what it means to survive sibling loss from two very different but equally devastating causes. R...

On episode 5 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler welcomes Brennan to share the devastating and unexpected loss of her younger brother, Jackson, during a freak storm in 2019. What begins as a reflection on their sibling relationship through childhood, divorce, and young adulthood turns into a powerful story of trauma, survival, family dynamics, and what it means to re...

On episode 4 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler is joined by Michael Tobin, who shares the raw and unfiltered story of losing his older brother, Jimmy, to homicide in 1992. Over 30 years later, Michael reflects on how this traumatic event shaped his life, his family, and his ongoing mission to keep Jimmy's memory alive. Michael recounts the joys of growing up in a b...

On episode 3 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler sits down with three surviving siblings Elizabeth, Roger (Avery), and Ryan to share the heartbreaking and inspiring story of losing their sister, Kathryn "Kayleigh" Thurgaland, in a tragic car accident in October 2020. What makes this episode truly unique is hearing the story from three perspectives, each sibling offer...

On episode 2 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler welcomes Lori to share the heartfelt journey of losing her sister, Gina, to breast cancer. What begins as a candid reflection on sibling dynamics soon unfolds into an honest, powerful testimony of anticipatory grief, advocacy, and resilience. Lori opens up about growing up as the "quintessential middle child" in a clos...

On episode 1 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings® Podcast, host, Maya Roffler sits down with Amanda, who shares the heartbreaking story of losing her older brother, Bill, to hyperthermia in the Arizona desert. Amanda walks us through the unique sibling dynamic they shared, the evolution of their relationship as adults, and the tragic events that unfolded in the summer of 2013. From the moment Am...

In this heartfelt episode of The Surviving Siblings Podcast, host Maya Roffler welcomes Jessica Meyer, a bereaved sibling who lost her younger sister, Jen, to fentanyl addiction in 2021. Jessica opens up about the deep bond they shared growing up in a tight-knit Mexican-Jewish family and how addiction slowly dismantled their lives. Jen was so much more than her addiction—an empathetic, talented at...

In this deeply honest and heartfelt episode of The Surviving Siblings Podcast, host Maya Roffler sits down with LeAnn Sullivan, a bereaved sister who lost her brother Michael to addiction in 2016. LeAnn shares her powerful story of love, loss, resilience, and healing after years of navigating a complicated family dynamic, her brother's addiction, and her own journey through grief. Growing up with...

In this raw and profoundly moving episode of The Surviving Siblings Podcast, host Maya Roffler sits down with Jen, a bereaved sibling who lost her brother Teddy to suicide in 2017. Jen and Teddy shared an incredibly close bond, growing up as part of a large Sicilian family just outside of Boston. But their story begins even earlier—Teddy was a micro-preemie twin who survived against all odds, unkn...

In this heartfelt episode of the Surviving Siblings Podcast, host Maya Roffler welcomes Cryssy, a bereaved sibling who lost her younger sister, Danielle, to acute myeloid leukemia in 2012. As the oldest sibling, Cryssy took on the role of protector, caregiver, and advocate—navigating the heartbreak of watching her sister battle a devastating illness. Cryssy shares her deeply personal journey of an...

Maya is joined by Stephanie Murphy, who bravely shares the heartbreaking story of losing her younger brother, Quinton, to a tragic car accident in 2001 when he was just 18 years old. Stephanie opens up about their sibling bond, the fight that led to their last conversation, and the devastating night she learned her brother was gone. She shares how grief collided with unexpected motherhood, her bat...