What Happens Next: Stories of Grief and Loss | Ryder’s Story

In this special episode, I’m joined for the first time by my wife Anne as we dive into a full review and discussion of the animated short film “Versa,” streaming on Disney+. We break down the story, animation style, themes, and emotional impact while sharing our honest reactions and different perspectives throughout the film. This episode blends first-time guest energy with thoughtful conversation as we explore what makes “Versa” stand out as a short-form animated experience. Whether you’ve already seen it or are curious about watching it, this review offers insight, interpretation, and a fun back-and-forth dynamic between hosts.  

In this episode, we share the raw and unfiltered experience of the weeks following the memorial services for our son, Ryder. We discuss the heavy silence at home, navigating grief alongside everyday life, and the overwhelming emotions leading up to Mother’s Day. From struggles with returning to work, coping in therapy, to a necessary escape to Jamaica, we explore how grief and small moments of joy can coexist. This episode is for parents, families, and anyone processing loss, offering a candid look at surviving, healing, and finding space for life after tragedy.

In this deeply personal episode, I reflect on Ryder’s 7th birthday and the lasting impact of his loss on our family. I share the raw emotions of grief, the milestones that never happened, and how this journey has shaped our other children. We explore moments of magic, heartbreak, and clarity, including the story of Ryder’s hospital paperwork mistake and how we restored his voice and legacy. This episode is unfiltered and honest, touching on faith, parenting through grief, and finding community support. If you’ve experienced child loss, infertility, or the heartbreak of milestones that never happen, this episode is for you. Join me as I share the story of Ryder, honor his memory, and reflect on how loss shapes a family while showing that even in sorrow, there are moments of love, clarity, and resilience.

In this episode, we talk about something many grieving parents eventually discover — loss reveals who your people really are. After losing our son Ryder, Anne and I found ourselves navigating life as parents after loss while trying to plan memorial services, travel home to the Midwest, and process a grief that felt impossible to carry. This episode shares the next chapter of our grief journey as a loss dad and loss parents, including: • The unexpected events that led us to hold Ryder’s service in Iowa • Bringing our son home in an urn and the emotions that came with it • The painful reality of who didn’t show up • The surprising people who did • Why there is no perfect thing to say to someone experiencing child loss • The importance of simply showing up for grieving parents We also reflect on a moment that opened our eyes to a larger issue in the United States — maternal fetal health and infant mortality, something we will explore more deeply in future episodes. If you are navigating parenting after loss, stillbirth, infant loss, pregnancy loss, or the grief journey of losing a child, we hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone. And if you love someone who is grieving, this episode offers one simple reminder: You don’t need perfect words. Just show up.

The storm of Ryder’s death didn’t end at the hospital. In this episode, I talk about what happened after we walked out without our son—the grief, the anger, and the questions that followed us home. Those questions eventually led us to fight to have Ryder’s case reopened by the medical examiner, searching for answers in the middle of unimaginable loss.

After Ryder’s death, Ann and I quickly realized we couldn’t navigate the weight of grief alone. This episode explores our experience with therapy — individual, couples, and the group sessions that ultimately helped us find understanding, community, and a path toward surviving the unimaginable.  

What started as an ordinary day became the day that changed our lives forever. In this episode, I recount the 911 call, the uncertainty inside the hospital, the waiting and movement from room to room, and the emergency C-section that followed. It’s the story of the day we met our son Ryder—and the devastating moment we were told he was gone.