What Happens When We Die? Mike Oppenheim on Loss, Hope, Faith, and Coffin Talk

Send us Fan MailMost people expect a conversation about death to feel heavy. This one feels surprisingly hopeful.This week on Here's What We Know, we sit down with Mike Oppenheim, host of the podcast Coffin Talk, for a conversation about fatherhood, grief, faith, forgiveness, and the question every person eventually asks: What happens when we die?Mike shares the heartbreaking story of losing his son, how he found healing without living in anger, and why spending years with hospice patients changed everything he believed about what matters most.Whether you share these beliefs or not, you'll find something meaningful in this episode.In This Episode:Growing up in Berkeley and the culture that shaped Mike's early yearsHow a spur-of-the-moment college application sent him to the University of PittsburghThe custody battle and international parental child abduction that took his son to ThailandWorking through the U.S. State Department and the reality of cross-border custody casesVolunteering at Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix and choosing the dementia wardWhy hospice families struggle more than the patients themselvesThe origin story of the Coffin Talk podcastAmerica's discomfort with aging and mortality compared to other culturesFaith, fear, and why anger never solves anythingBlended family life, his current wife, and his two young daughtersThe moment his daughter finally got to talk to her brother This episode is sponsored by:Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!) License #: 679261  Bison Junk Removal Bio:Mike Oppenheim is an author, speaker, and the creator of the Coffin Talk podcast, where he asks guests one timeless question: What do you think happens when you die? After experiencing profound personal loss, Mike found purpose in hospice volunteering and helping others have honest conversations about life, death, grief, and hope. Through his writing and podcast, he encourages people to live with greater compassion, curiosity, and appreciation for the time we have.Substack: https://mikeyopp.substack.com/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeyopp38/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeyoppLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-oppenheim-8a5562186/Tags: what happens when we die, grief, loss, healing, parental alienation, international child abduction, fatherhood, hospice, end of life, faith, purpose, podcast interview, Coffin Talk Podcast, personal growth, storytelling, meaningful conversations, forgiveness, hope, mortalityConnect with Gary:Gary's WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramGary's TiktokGary's FacebookWatch the episodes on YouTubeAdvertise on the PodcastThank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!