The Surviving Siblings®

This season begins with a heartfelt tribute by my guest, Katie, to her late brother Patrick, whose dream of firefighting was both his passion and his legacy. As Katie recounts their childhood memories and Patrick's unwavering determination to join the fire service, listeners will be moved by the depth of their sibling bond and the sense of pride and inspiration that Patrick left behind. Katie shar...

Our fourth season has been a profound exploration of grief, particularly focusing on the often overlooked impact it has on siblings and the rebuilding we do throughout our grief journey. Listen in as I, your host, Maya Roffler, share a recap of our heartfelt season four, as well as an update of my personal journey through grief and loss. I share my thoughts on the season and reflect on the profoun...

Dr. Dawn DiRaimondo, a renowned author, Psychologist and surviving sibling, joins us once again to explore the profound journey of healing and connection during the holiday season. Dawn shares the story of her brother Michael's death in combat, their last Christmas conversation, and the subsequent transformation of her family's holiday celebrations. This episode delves into the delicate balance of...

Today's episode is a touching tribute to the adventurous spirit of Rocky, Susan Casey's brother who tragically passed away on Valentine's Day 2014. Susan's vivid retelling of Rocky's life and love for exploration, unexpectedly ended at a young age. In the wake of Rocky's death, Susan's life was transformed. She not only found a purpose in her loss but also the courage to live life fully — to honor...

Every family has its story, and our guest, Laura Weiss, is here to share hers with us. Laura's journey begins with the loss of her brother, Ben, a vibrant individual who was much more to her than just a sibling. Laura opens up about Ben's struggle with Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, his addictions, and his life as part of the LGBTQ+ community in a small town. We explore Laura's undulating journey...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. Leigh first took on the role of her sister's caretaker when Beth experienced a tragic car accident at 16. Beth's accident caused a traumatic brain injury and she never r...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. How can you grapple with the devastating pain of losing a sibling to addiction and transform it into a beacon of strength? Emily's older brother Peter was a quintessenti...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. Meet Jordon Ferber, a surviving sibling who's traversed the labyrinth of loss through a mix of tender reflection, candid conversations, and a dash of humor. Jordon recou...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. For years Christine answered multiple 'goodbye calls' from her brother Pete. Finding him in the midst of attempted suicides. Their family supported him through life chan...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. Lori always saw herself as her brother, Brian's protector and still fills that role after his death, preserving his story and legacy. Lori took on the responsibility of...

Elizabeth opens up about her family's profound struggle when her brother, Ted, was diagnosed with rare blood disorder aplastic anemia. Their innocent childhood turned into a harsh reality as Ted spent eight years in a laminar air flow room at the National Institutes of Health. Elizabeth recounts their childhood inside the hospital, his illness, and the impact his sudden death had on each family me...

It's hard to believe that we are wrapping up Season Three, and Maya is back for her recap of the season. Maya will be discussing her personal takeaways from each guest as well as give recommendations for particular episodes depending on your own grief journey. Maya is also sharing where she is in her grief journey six and a half years after losing her brother to a homicide. She is excited to share...

Preston grew up in the shadow of his older brother, Colin. When Preston was in college, Colin decided to go in the military, in part to escape the lifestyle he was living, but being in the military and going on two tours had taken a toll on Colin, and he ended up passing due to a drug overdose.  Preston got the dreaded call while he was at work. As soon as he made it home, he broke down. All he wa...

Rachel lost her little brother Aaron in a motorcycle accident in 2002. She was really close to him, as he was the only full brother and her sibling that she shared a childhood with, so receiving the call was a heartbreaking and pivotal moment in her life.  The first few weeks after Aaron passed were a blur for her. Rachel felt a mix of emotions, because everyone expected her to be strong for her p...

Aletha was only 9 years old when her brother Brett passed. Even though they were 9 years apart, they were very close. Aletha and Brett spent a lot of time on the tracks since Brett started racing at a very young age. Racing was Brett's passion. In 2007, Brett was coming back home from an all-night race when he fell asleep behind the wheel crashing his car. Unfortunately, he died as a result of thi...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. Angela is the oldest sibling of five children and she became a surviving sibling 20 years ago when her brother Nicky passed. Nicky's story begins after he was in a sever...

All surviving siblings have a different story. Chelsey and Clint were inseparable when they were kids, most of the time they were by themselves because their father was in and out of the picture and their mother was a single mom, working two jobs to provide for them. Chelsey was about to graduate and was looking forward to having her brother at her graduation, so when she received "the call", she...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. There's a lot to unpack in Nickky's sibling loss journey. First she lost her big brother Glennn who committed suicide, then she lost her older sister Lisa in a car accid...

Judy Lipson is the middle of three sisters. She became a surviving sibling when she lost her younger sister Jane in a car accident. Nine years later, she lost her sister Margie, who had been fighting bulimia and anorexia for over two decades. Judy decided to honor her sisters by starting a fundraiser for Mass General Hospital, where she helped raise over $80,000 in a decade. After that, she decide...

Janice Jernigan lost her sister Julie when she was 3 years old, and this major loss ignited a cascade of secondary losses. Janice lost the opportunity of sharing milestones with her sister, receiving advice from her growing up and even beauty tricks. Janice tried to hold on to her sister Julie through many ways, and it emerged in her relationships, and eventually in her body. These are some of the...

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing. Maggie Bauer lost her brother Chris by suicide, it has been 10 years and it still hurts that her brother is no longer on this earth. She knows that her grief journey is...

Welcome to season 3 of the Surviving Siblings podcast. We are starting this season with a returning guest and season sponsor, Audree Kropen from SibsForever. Audree's story is an interesting one, make sure you go back to Episode 4 and Episode 5 from Season 2 .  In this week's episode, Audree returns to talk about her granddaughter, Brenna, who is also a surviving sibling. Audree shares how she has...

November 21st 2016 was the day that changed my life forever, it was the day that I lost my brother. As I have shared in previous episodes, my grief journey hasn't been linear. There are many things that I have done to cope with the loss of my brother. Creating this podcast was a way for me to honor my brother, to tell his story, to tell my story, our story. As surviving siblings we go through diff...

Caleb Harrison and Maya have more in common than being just surviving siblings. Maya was there for Caleb when he lost his brother Josh and Caleb was able to do the same for her when she lost Andreas. This episode is a deep conversation between two friends, two surviving siblings that lost part of their soul and came together to support each other. In this week's episode, Maya and Caleb share about...

No one gets a pass on grief, not even a three-year-old. Janice lost her sister Julie at the age of 3, she was too young to understand what was going on around her and her coping mechanism growing up was saying that she had grown up as an only child. She didn't acknowledge that she was a surviving sibling until she started going to therapy for an ailment she thought was completely unrelated, and it...