Grief changes everything. It’s the kind of pain that steals your breath and reshapes your world, a weight that never fully lifts. For Stephanie Wiley, that pain runs deeper than words can express. She suddenly lost her teenage son, the boy who never missed a chance to say “I love you,” to fentanyl poisoning.

In the aftermath of unimaginable loss, Stephanie found healing in an unexpected place: her kitchen. What began as therapy, a way to cope with grief one cookie at a time, has grown into her purpose. Baking has become her business, her mission, and a tribute to her son’s memory, helping raise awareness about the fentanyl epidemic along the way.

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Stephanie shares her powerful journey as she reflects on the struggle to find help for her son’s substance use disorder, the fleeting joy of his recovery, and the heartbreak that followed. Through it all, she has found a way to keep his spirit alive by spreading warmth, sweetness, and hope to others who know the ache of loss.

Click here to visit the Tommy's Cookie Co. website and purchase your cookies! 

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like the following: 

Choosing Love After a Hate Crime Took Her Son and Father

Surviving the holiday season while grieving

What a mother wishes she knew before losing her son to fentanyl

Send us a text

Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated.

They were...

• daughters
• sons
• mothers
• fathers
• friends
• wives
• husbands
• cousins
• boyfriends
• girlfriends.

They were More Than Just A Number. 

Support the show

Connect with Angela

Follow Grieving Out Loud

Follow Emily's Hope

Read Angela’s Blog

Subscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily’s Hope Updates

Suggest a Guest

For more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charity
Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz