My Dad Watched a Guy Get Shot at Dinner | Dead Dads Podcast | Grief Support for Men

Peter Reek's dad Bill was a Nestle commodities trader. One night, on a purchasing trip to Columbia in the mid 80's, he watched the guy having dinner at the next table over get shot.Everyone knew what to do, and Bill calmly followed. They got under the table, finished the meal somewhere else, and Bill flew home the next week. That was Bill Reek. Mr. Safety. The guy who built a 40-year career on stability — and the guy who negotiated with people who carried guns to dinner.Peter sits with Scott (Roger was unable to join the interview) to talk about a dad who was solid in every way the world could measure, and the small, strange details that only come out after he's gone. This episode is for the guy whose dad was “the stable one.” The guy whose dad worked a job he never fully understood. The guy still finding out who his dad really was after he died.Probably not for the guy looking for a tidy redemption arc. Bill Reek did not do tidy.🎧 In this episode, you’ll hear about:Growing up with a dad who worked for Nestlé for 40 yearsWhat “stable” actually looks like up closeThe night in Colombia when the guy at the next table got shotNegotiating cocoa prices with people who carried guns to dinnerBeing Mr. Safety in a dangerous jobThe commodities expert who never invested his own moneyThe cancer diagnosis and the years that followedNot being in the room when his dad diedThe stories that only surface after someone is goneWhat Peter wishes he had asked BillWhy you should be an active participant in your dad’s life now👨‍👦 About Peter and his dad, BillPeter Reek lost his dad, Bill, after a long battle with cancer.Bill was a 40-year Nestlé commodities trader. Stable, steady, generous, quietly funny, and the kind of dad who reminded you to check the tire pressure right before flying to Colombia to negotiate cocoa prices with people carrying guns to dinner.It is a conversation about father loss, cancer, the kind of dad you think you know, the stories that only surface at the end, and the regret of not being in the room when it happened.Also, yes, there are laughs. Because grief is weird like that. Rude, honestly.⏱️ Episode chapters0:00 – Colombia Shock Opener0:12 – Meet Peter and Bill1:27 – Support the Podcast2:47 – Why Peter Joined3:12 – Bill Reek Career Story7:57 – Stability Versus Risk8:48 – Restaurant Shooting Tale10:21 – Entrepreneur Son Dynamic12:20 – Illness and Final Days17:51 – Guilt and Goodbye22:47 – Taking Over the Playbook26:07 – Keeping Dad Alive28:34 – Advice and FarewellNext in the club: Matty Woods on his dad’s funeral with two rules: https://youtu.be/Ocm8NTnDLX4🖤 About Dead DadsDead Dads is a podcast for men figuring out life after losing their dad. Hosted by Roger Nairn and Scott Cunningham, the show features honest conversations about father loss, grief, identity, family, memory, masculinity, and all the strange stuff that happens after your dad dies.You’re not alone.☕ Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/deaddadspodcastFollow Dead Dads:Website: https://www.deaddadspodcast.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@deaddadspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/deaddadspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dead.dads.podcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@deaddadspodcastNew episodes every week.Dead Dads Podcast is produced with the support of JAR Podcast Solutions, the branded podcast agency that helps organizations build shows people actually want to spend time with. Learn more at https://jarpodcasts.com/