PODCAST · health
Grieving Overdose Death
by Susan Claire
This podcast was created to give a voice to those who have lost someone close to them from an accidental overdose. Parents, spouses, sisters, brothers and others will be interviewed to celebrate the life of their loved one who died from an overdose and to remember this person as more than their addiction. We will explore how others cope and pass on this information to those who are grieving and feel they have nowhere to turn. Unfortunately, there are many out there and the numbers are growing every day. If you would like to tell your story about the life of your loved one who died from an accidental overdose, the struggles you both faced, and how you are coping, please email your request to Susan Claire at [email protected] views expressed by guests on this podcast are their own. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grieving-overdose-death/id1462181055
Episodes
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Hart
Hart was a gifted woodworker whose craft was rooted in a deep love for trees and the natural world. After his death from an accidental overdose when he was 49, his girlfriend and friends created a moving tribute: large red, heart‑shaped cardboard cutouts, each labeled with a word that captured…
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Coping with Grief through Creative Arts Therapy
Cathy Williams is a body-based healing and creative arts therapy expert, and founder of Intuitive Self. She helps people reconnect with their intuition through somatic and expressive arts. An award-winning author and speaker, Cathy draws on her personal healing journey to support others in...
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Alec
Alec, affectionately known as "Fuego" for his vibrant spirit, was a joyful, curious young man whose natural athletic talent, academic sharpness, and deep devotion to family—especially his daughter, Kylie—made him beloved in his community. Despite a stable upbringing and multiple attempts at...
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Graham
Graham loved playing soccer, spending time with family, and hanging out with friends, but everything shifted in sixth grade when he fell in with kids who got into trouble and he began using drugs and alcohol. His struggles deepened over the years as he was bullied for being gay and was introduced...
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Frankie
Frankie was the third-born of triplets, arriving after his two sisters. His mother, Ellen, recalls his early years as charmed—filled with joyful vacations, engaging activities, and an infectious sense of humor. Frankie was the smallest kid with the biggest laugh, known for his wild jokes,...
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Johnna
Johnna was a fearless and capable child, but a learning disability diagnosis seemed to mark the beginning of her struggles. Her mother, Kelli, believes this led to self-esteem issues, which were worsened by incidents like being bullied in school and the loss of loved ones. These painful…
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Matthew
While working for the railroad, Matt had a bad accident that injured his spine. After spinal surgery, he was prescribed opioids that eventually led to his addiction. His daughter, Heather, talks about her loving relationship with her dad and how she is broken hearted to have lost him in October...
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Cameron (Narcan Plus 911-A mother's and crisis coach's message)
Cameron was fun-loving, intelligent, compassionate, athletic, and talented who made his mom, Denise, very proud. After taking a counterfeit pill, he overdosed and lost his life when he was 23, even though his friends administered Narcan. Denise is on a mission to tell others that Narcan alone is...
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Vinnie & Jorge
Sheree and Vinnie were not only sister and brother, but also best friends. They were three years apart and went through everything in life together. Vinnie had a beautiful spirit and was an amazing person. Sheree's brother-in-law, Jorge, was in the family for 15 years and was more like a little...
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Joel
Joel excelled at writing. He wrote his first book when he was in the second grade and later won an award for an essay about his grandfather. He also loved to write song lyrics and developed an ability to rap when he was in high school. With his lyrics and music, he developed a following for his...
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Blake
If you wanted to find Blake, you only had to go to the fire station down the street from his house. At a very young age, he already knew that he wanted to be a fire fighter. He was an excellent violin player and enjoyed karate. He was introduced to drugs from an acquaintance of his girlfriend at…
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Charles (Buddy)
Charles (also known as Buddy) was an old soul. At a very young age, he would sit and talk to his aunt like he was the same age, and he treasured his family. He loved to travel, had lots clothes, and collected all types of sneakers. He was prescribed a pain medication after a serious car accident...
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Becca
Becca was a wild child who grew into a confident, young adult and was able to talk to anybody. Her passions included animals, theater and music. She was also a talented artist who fell in love with tattoos and thought of the human body as a canvas. After a tragic event in her early teens, she...
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Stephen
Stephen lit up any room he walked into and was the guy who made others laugh. He was a musician who played guitar and piano, a welder who used his talents to make artwork, and a world traveler. His addiction to pain medication began soon after having a wisdom tooth extracted while he was in the...
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Samantha
Samantha was stubborn, strong-willed, and struggled with authority. However, she also loved fiercely, was passionate in what she believed in, and was always there when you needed a friend. Her sister, Brittany, would call her about everything and knew she could always count on her. When Samantha...
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David
David had a great job, loved hunting, sports, and was very involved with his family. His cousin, Rosalie, describes him as a "boy's boy." In April 2021, Rosalie received a call from one of his three brothers telling her the tragic news—David had passed away due to an accidental overdose. She…
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Michael
Michael was an incredibly hard worker—he followed in his dad's footsteps and worked for the railroad. He never said, "no", was so tender hearted, and silly. His sisters, Courtney and Hattie, cope with his passing from an overdose in July 2022 through humor, closeness, and strength. By telling…
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Jessica
Jessica wanted to help others and thought about working professionally as a nurse. She loved children, would help out at summer camps, and had several babysitting positions. She was always the one people would call if they needed help. When she was around 17, she was in a car accident and was...
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Hannah
Hannah was loyal, fierce, and lived & loved with an unmatched ferocity and intensity. Her father, Cody, said she helped those who were marginalized, forgotten, left behind, misunderstood, hurting, or abused. She put others before herself, tried to take care of them, and made sure they were safe…
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Michael & Bridget
Meggie describes how she and her three siblings were a close-knit group of four who faced everything together when they were growing up. However, in 2015, her older brother, Michael, 28, died from an accidental overdose which fueled a raging addiction in her mom and little sister, Bridget. In…
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Nicky, Steven & Cindy
Angela lost three of her four siblings (Nicky, Steven & Cindy): two passed away from an overdose and one from a massive heart attack. She remembers them with pictures and other special mementos, and by telling their stories. She copes by keeping busy with helping to raise her sisters' children,...
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Jack
Jack was an excellent student, and enjoyed sports throughout his elementary and high school years. He graduated from college with a major in actuarial science and landed his first job. But his mother, Maribeth, said he worked very long hours, and although he sometimes said he enjoyed it, she...
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Nickoli
Nickoli was a beautiful soul who never felt like he was heard or loved. His mother died from an overdose when he was very young, he didn't know his father, and he was shuffled among family until he landed in his forever home with his adoptive mom, Angelique. From the day he joined her family, he...
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Brandi
Brandi had a typical childhood: she participated in sports, dance, girl scouts; went on family vacations; and had lots of family get-togethers. But as she got older, she became argumentative and got into a lot of trouble. It wasn't until her sister, Kaylee, was taking a psychology course that she...
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Aaron
Aaron loved music, debating, and getting together with friends and family. He was also an avid reader and taught himself to read before he even started school. His mom, Sheryl, was his biggest fan. However, Aaron dropped out of school at a young age and started down the wrong path. After he…
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Josh
Josh was a great person who happened to have both the disease of addiction and the disease of depression. It was his birth father who introduced Josh to heroin when he was 13 years old, setting up his path to a lifelong habit. He overdosed from fentanyl poisoning in a sober house in 2016 when he...
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Jillian
Jillian was a "very wanted baby" who was a good student and could make anyone laugh, according to her mom, Jackie. As she got older, she became depressed and suffered from anxiety, and turned to alcohol and marijuana. In later years, she joined a gang and was introduced to methamphetamines. She...
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Kristina
Kristina was a straight "A" student who loved cheerleading, dancing and gymnastics. Life was wonderful with her parents and older sister, Michelle, until she turned 15 and was introduced to heroin by her boyfriend. From that time, her life was a struggle to stay clean. Everything seemed to be…
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Jason
Jason loved learning and was a joy to be around. He dreamt of being a pilot and set out on his life's journey. However, during his first college semester, he broke his elbow, was placed on pain medication and everything changed. He dropped out of college and spent many years in the throes of...
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Interview with a Grief Psychologist
Samantha Ruth is not only a psychologist who helps those dealing with their grief, she also knows loss firsthand after her husband died unexpectedly. Her mission is to change the way the world views both grief and mental health, so people can openly speak about whatever issues they have and get…
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Miranda
From an early age, Miranda loved animals. At any given time, she had as many as three cats, three dogs, five chickens, a parakeet, a horse, as well as fish and rodents. She went on to become a certified pet care technician at age 11, and a wrangler at 16. Even in these happy times, Miranda…
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Noel
At 35, Noel was on a great path after being clean for a long time. He was in an accelerated nursing program, was a daddy to a beautiful daughter, and had everything to live for. But then COVID-19 hit, and his mom, Kathleen, feels that it had a lot to do with his relapse since he was alone and...
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Mary Kate
Mary Kate loved the '60s: the colorful clothes, the message of peace & love, and the rock music like Pink Floyd. Her mom, Carol, said her daughter was born in the wrong decade. Everything changed when Mary Kate started losing weight and her parents found out that she had been using drugs. They…
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Melody
When Melody was born, she was named for peace, love and harmony. She lit up a room with her smile and was hilarious without ever knowing she was funny. All that changed after she tried heroin and addiction took over her life. Her mom, Toni, remembers how super close they were through her teenage...
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Johnny (A sister's perspective)
Joanne remembers everyone liking her brother Johnny. He had the happiest and loudest laugh, and the biggest and best hugs. He was great at soccer, and track & field, and won many awards. They hung out together since they were close in age and were referred to as the favorite brother/sister...
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Johnny (A mother's perspective)
Suzanne's son, Johnny, suffered from addiction until she got the knock on her door she was dreading and was told the news she never wanted to hear. Her son had died from an overdose at the age of 46. Johnny's younger years were hopeful when he was studying to be a medical doctor, but he succumbed...
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Elaine
Elaine was a world traveler who had a passion for cooking, and loved all types of music from rock 'n roll to reggae. She had her daughter, Stephanie, later in life at age 38, and they shared a very close relationship. However, Elaine was addicted to alcohol as far back as Stephanie can remember.…
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Quincie
Quincie loved hunting and riding his motorcycle; loved his children, family and friends; and was a really good cook. But he also put his family through 10 years of heartache and pain as his addiction grew from marijuana to heroin. He passed away at the age of 31 from an accidental overdose while...
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Maddy
Maddy was a young woman of extremes—a soft, kind and gentle heart with a powerful, fierce and stubborn mind. She never quite understood the word, "No", subsequently she could always open your mind to try and see things her way. She excelled at school, winning a partial scholarship to a university...
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Mayson
Mayson was a free spirit who was passionate about music and cooking. He was a self-taught guitar player at nine-years-old, and also learned the piano, trumpet and French horn. Even though he had a close relationship with his mother, Amanda, and his family, he had a troubled youth and was expelled...
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Kevin
Kevin tried for years to free himself from his addiction but lost the battle at 41 years old in January 2019. His sister, Sherry, talks about how they stuck together like glue after suffering from abuse during their childhood. Sherry says that Kevin protected her even though he was only five…
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Jackson S
Jackie was expecting to celebrate her son Jackson's 20th birthday on January 11th but instead she was called to the hospital where Jackson passed away from an accidental overdose. Jackson was an amazing kid and a gifted athlete at 6'4" and 220 lbs. He wrestled and played football throughout high...
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Penn
Carol knew her son, Penn, had issues with alcohol but never imagined he had started using other substances until he passed away from an overdose in 2017. Penn grew up in a typical household in which he was an active member of the scouts, went camping with his family, and attended church. However,...
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Josh
Annie feels like she is aimlessly just making it from one day to another after her son Josh died in January 2019 when he was 33. Ten years ago after a car accident, Josh left the emergency room with a 30 day supply of Vicodin with refills. Annie says it took only a few pills for Josh to become...
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Joseph
Joseph's ambitions of working as an airplane mechanic were cut short after a car accident landed him in surgery where he was given pain medication. When his pain medicine prescription ran out, he searched out relief illegally. His mother, Jean, never suspected that her son had become addicted…
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Sean
Caitlin, 22, tried to brace herself for her dad's (Sean) death since she knew of his addiction, but when her mom told her that her dad had died from an accidental overdose, her heart broke. Sean, 57, will never walk her down the aisle or hold his grandchildren. Caitlin has found solace by…
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Jade
In her mom Stephanie's words, Jade was born defying convention. She lived life as an unapologetic original; and was a fiercely loyal friend and champion of her fellow woman. She loved books and detested anything that was ordinary. She was a devotee of glamour and glitter but her thousand watt…
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Allison
Allison told her mom, Leah, that she started using meth to help her keep up with three children, a job and everything else in her life. But then it got out of control and her mom, Leah, feels that Allison was high when she got into an accident that ended her life while driving a four-wheeler.…
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Jillian
Throughout her addiction, Jillian wrote extensively about how she just wanted to be herself again. In a letter written in the last month of her life entitled "Who Am I", she wanted to use her skills as a cosmetologist to help people like themselves—a feeling that eluded her. Annmarie talks about...
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Catherine
Catherine graduated high school at the top of her class in 2011 and, only six years later in 2017, her life was taken by an accidental overdose. She was a beautiful, intelligent, absolutely brilliant, complex human, according to her mother, Rose. Rose said she wants to share Catherine's story and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This podcast was created to give a voice to those who have lost someone close to them from an accidental overdose. Parents, spouses, sisters, brothers and others will be interviewed to celebrate the life of their loved one who died from an overdose and to remember this person as more than their addiction. We will explore how others cope and pass on this information to those who are grieving and feel they have nowhere to turn. Unfortunately, there are many out there and the numbers are growing every day. If you would like to tell your story about the life of your loved one who died from an accidental overdose, the struggles you both faced, and how you are coping, please email your request to Susan Claire at [email protected] views expressed by guests on this podcast are their own. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grieving-overdose-death/id1462181055
HOSTED BY
Susan Claire
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Grieving Overdose Death have?
Grieving Overdose Death currently has 58 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Grieving Overdose Death about?
This podcast was created to give a voice to those who have lost someone close to them from an accidental overdose. Parents, spouses, sisters, brothers and others will be interviewed to celebrate the life of their loved one who died from an overdose and to remember this person as more than their...
How often does Grieving Overdose Death release new episodes?
Grieving Overdose Death has 58 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Grieving Overdose Death?
You can listen to Grieving Overdose Death on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Grieving Overdose Death?
Grieving Overdose Death is created and hosted by Susan Claire.
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