Welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground. This episode is a continuation of last week’s episode where we featured an incredible nonprofit organization called Empty Arms. It is a perinatal support group that provides supports to individuals and families who have experienced the loss of a child during pregnancy or up to the age of six.

Jasmin Herchak and Briana Koop co-founded Empty Arms in 2015 and were the featured guests in last week’s episode. They were amazing to speak with and the feedback I’ve received from listeners highlights their empathy and kindness. I hope you get a chance to listen to their story if you haven’t done so already.

The other voices you heard in last week’s episode belonged to Dax and Sara Irons. They share the story of their son, Everett, who was born on September 22nd , 2018 and passed away at birth. They are grateful for the support Empty Arms provided them during such a difficult time, and in fact it was Sara’s idea to feature Jasmin and Briana on the podcast.

Sara and Dax invited me to their home on a chilly Saturday morning in December to talk about Everett and the supports Empty Arms provided them. It was a really powerful conversation and I can’t thank Sara and Dax enough for their honesty and vulnerability in sharing their story.

I played a few minutes of our conversation in last week’s episode but I want to share with you the entire interview because I just found it so powerful in how it shows the impact Empty Arms has on people like Sara and Dax. 

I also wanted to share it because Sara and Dax gave so much of themselves in telling their story. I’ve known Sara for years through Saskatoon’s yoga community but this was the first time I met Dax, and he just shared so much of his heart in our conversation. I am grateful to both of them.

We did the interview in the living room of their home. Dax and I sat on the couch while Sara sat cross-legged on the floor. On the coffee table in front of us were objects that were part of the Empty Arms care package that you’ll hear them discuss throughout the interview.

Again, I am so grateful to Sara and Dax for sharing their story with me on the podcast.

Listen to and follow YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Spotify, Goodpods or the YXE Underground website. Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

Cheers...Eric 

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis