Beyond Brave

Pull up a chair, because today is an intimate, heart-to-heart solo catch-up. In this episode, I’m diving into all the personal updates we didn't have time for last episode...from what life looks like six months off Sertraline and recent community moments to answering your IG questions and exciting plans for Bella’s Birthday Ball. I also read a special letter from the Saskatchewan government. In this episode I also unpack two deeply impactful social posts in our “How’s It Griefing?” segment, share how the Bella Brave Foundation is expanding its reach with hospital baskets and new grad scholarships, and open up an invitation for medical and bereaved mothers to join our Brave Mom Series. Whether you’re walking through hospital corridors, navigating the heavy waves of grief, or just need a gentle reminder that you’re not alone, this episode is a soft place to land. If you ever want to reach out or contact me, please message me on Instagram @kylact.

It’s been a minute, but we are finally back behind the mics! In this comeback episode, Lyle joins me to catch up on where we’ve been and why taking a pause was exactly what my heart needed as the heavy waves of grief hit in the months leading up to Bella’s death anniversary (July 14th 2024).

But before we dive into our summer updates, the beautiful signs Bella has been sending us, and a deeply moving dream Waylon recently had, I have a very raw, "griefy" bone to pick with Lyle. We tackle the agonizing situation every loss parent dreads & how to answer when a stranger asks, "How many children do you have?" We unpack our very different responses in this episode.

We’re also introducing a brand-new segment called How’s it Griefing?, designed specifically to hold space for the messy, everyday reality of child loss. We are balancing the heavy with the hilarious today as we read through some of the most "unhinged" text messages you can send to a grieving friend. Throw in a rapid-fire Q&A, exciting news about the Bella Brave Foundation’s official non-profit status, and a look at where we’re speaking and connecting this fall, and it just feels so good to be back with this community. Grab a coffee, hit play, and be sure to listen for a special discount code just for our Beyond Brave listeners!

In this episode of Beyond Brave, I sit down with Krysta Shacklock, Executive Director of Empty Arms (Perinatal & Early Childhood Loss Support Services), for a conversation that holds both heartbreak and hope. Krysta shares her personal story of loss after the stillbirth of her son, Henry Finn, and how that journey led her to become a guiding force for other grieving families through Empty Arms. We talk about the incredible supports the organization offers across Saskatchewan, the importance of community in navigating life after loss, and the heart behind their upcoming “A Night to Remember” fundraising event. Krysta gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what attendees can expect...from the powerful memorial moments to the immersive experience of the evening and even drops a special announcement about the event that hasn’t been shared publicly yet. This episode is a reminder that even in the heaviest grief, connection, remembrance, and support can create something truly meaningful. Visit Empty Arms on Instagram @emptyarmsyxe to learn more.

Lyle is back on the mic with me, and we have a lot to catch up on. In this episode of Beyond Brave, we share stories from our recent family adventure in PV, Mexico...complete with Waylon’s hilarious bargaining skills, unexpected wildlife encounters, and a few moments that felt like little signs from Bella. We also introduce the newest member of our family! We also talk about upcoming events honoring Bella’s impact, and reflect on a few powerful grief lessons I’ve learned recently from in-person and virtual grief groups. And somewhere in the middle of it all…I reveal a brand-new idea that completely catches Lyle off guard! Reminder: If you'd like to tell your medical mom, bereaved mom story or brave story on Beyond Brave, please email me (Kyla) at: [email protected] Thank you for being here and always stay brave.

In this solo episode of Beyond Brave, I open up about the recent fatigue that’s been weighing on me and how discouraging it’s felt…until a shift happened after I took the time to research and understand what was really going on. I reflect on a recent post I shared on social media, reading through your comments that reminded me how powerful community can be!In the heart of the episode, I share my top ten comfort items, simple, grounding things that bring me peace, safety, and softness in grief. This episode is an honest, gentle reminder that comfort matters, rest is not weakness, and sometimes the smallest things are what carry us through the heaviest days.Please reach out if you’d like to be a part of our Brave Mom series: [email protected] me on socials: @kylact on Instagram & TikTok/ BellaBrave on Facebook

Part 2 of Episode 47 continues my Brave Mom conversation with Kennedy as we go deeper into her journey with her brave girl, Huxley. In so many ways, Huxley reminds me of my late Bella, and simply talking about the two of them together brings healing to my heart. We talk about Kennedy returning to school to become an RN while Huxley undergoes her second bone marrow transplant, and she asks me about Bella’s bowel surgeries...opening up an honest, tender exchange between two medical moms who truly get it. We also dive into homecare support for medical families, sharing our own experiences, discussing the financial support Minnesota provides, and of course touching on the TikTok stories that have connected so many of us. You can find Kennedy & Huxley on TikTok at @kgeis27 and on Instagram at @kennedyy_klehr. 💛

In Part One of this special two-part Beyond Brave episode, I sit down with fellow medical mom Kennedy from Minnesota, whose daughter Huxley shares striking medical similarities with my Bella, a connection first brought to me by my TikTok community. We talk about how this unexpected introduction turned into an instantly deep, healing conversation between two medical moms navigating rare diagnoses, hospital life, and the emotional weight of raising medically complex children. Kennedy shares Huxley’s journey, including her recent second bone marrow transplant, and what life looks like inside the thick of it all. This conversation was so real and so full that we couldn’t fit it into one episode, so stay tuned for Part Two, where we continue this powerful medical-mom-to-medical-mom chat.

We didn’t mean to be gone this long.

After what felt like being hit with grief again, a hard holiday season, illness, and the quiet realization of stepping into another year without Bella, we’re finally back. In this first episode of 2026, Lyle joins me for an honest check-in as we talk about recent travel and a Disney World recap, what surprised us, what helped, and what we’d do differently, alongside the deeper conversations we didn’t expect to be having. We open up about second-year grief, how it shows up differently than the first, and what it looks like to try to support each other in a marriage when both cups are empty. This is a real conversation about showing up changed, still learning, and choosing to come back anyway.

In this episode, Lyle and I finally share our full Ronald McDonald House story. From our very first stay in Calgary when we walked in terrified and exhausted, to our last days in Toronto with our Bella. Ronald McDonald House wasn’t just a place to sleep; it became our family. We talk about the rooms we lived in, the meals that kept us going, the programs that lifted us up, the volunteers who saw us on our hardest days, and the milestones Bella reached inside those walls. We also open up about what it was like to return to the House after Bella passed, and how they held us in our grief. If you’ve ever wondered what Ronald McDonald House truly means for families like ours, this is our story — start to finish — and why we’re so honoured to support them this Season of Giving.

In this Brave Mom episode, I sit down with Liz, a fellow bereaved and medical mom, to honour and share the story of her beautiful son, Mathias. This conversation was healing in a way only another SCID mom could understand. Liz and I share so many parallels in our stories… from navigating a SCID diagnosis, to battling CMV, to watching our babies endure bone marrow transplants. There are moments in this episode that felt like looking into a mirror… moments only a mom who has lived this kind of love and loss could connect to. I’m so grateful Liz trusted me with Mathias’ story, and I know her strength, honesty, and love for her boy will stay with you long after you listen.

Find Liz on Instagram at @li_zarrd.

If you’re a medical or bereaved mom who feels ready to share your brave story on Beyond Brave, I would love to hear from you. Please reach out anytime at [email protected].