Jill Lipsky On Addiction, Sibling & Parent Loss, And The Palisades Fire

Jill Lipsky is a lifelong Palisadian, a teacher, and one of my favorite people. She lost her brother, Darren, to fentanyl poisoning while their father was undergoing open heart surgery. Darren had been battling addiction. Jill was the person in her family who took care of everyone and tried to save him. Their parents died within the next year, during the pandemic, leaving Jill as the sole keeper of their memories.Jill was unable to find a support group for sibling loss. Because her parents died during the pandemic, it wasn't possible to have a service for them. We spoke about the need for grief to be witnessed. Read Jill's beautiful obituary for her dad, Bud Ennis, on my Substack, Transforming Pain Into Purpose - https://kayesteinsapir.substack.com/.Grief and love are intertwined. We grieve their losses deeply because we love them infinitely. It was wonderful to hear Jill's happy memories of Darren and her parents. We want to talk about our loved ones who've passed. Jill also spoke about the undeniable signs she receives from Darren in spirit and how their relationship continues and evolves.The Palisades fire compounded Jill's losses. Her family home burned down, along with her rental property, a source of income. Jill is nevertheless preparing to return home to the Palisades. Her family will be one of the first to return to their neighborhood, which is where she grew up.While living with grief, Jill approaches life with an open heart, generosity of spirit and fun-loving nature. Her Obliterated Place becomes more beautiful with each passing day, a testament to her resilience and love of her family.