In this episode of Dead Dads, Matty Woods talks about losing his dad to prostate cancer, medical assistance in dying, anticipatory grief, and the celebration of life that followed.
Hi Dad, Nigel had just died when Matty came to the Dead Dads studio.
This is one of the most powerful real life stories we’ve had on Dead Dads. Matty is still in the rawest part of grief: fresh, early, and still finding the words.
For men who are losing your dad, dealing with loss, watching a parent die from cancer, or trying to understand grief that does not follow any rulebook, this episode is for you.
Nigel Woods spent nine years living with prostate cancer, which he renamed “MDS,” because apparently even cancer needed a nickname. He wrote letters to his grandkids. He recorded videos for his friends. And when he chose MAID, medical assistance in dying, he gave his family one final impossible gift: a goodbye on his terms.
In Canada, MAID can be a loaded, emotional, deeply personal choice. For Nigel and his family, medical aid in dying meant a deliberate goodbye. Dying with dignity. A final day shaped by family, humor, love, and one very respectable glass of scotch.
A real goodbye. The kind most of us do not get.
Matty came into the studio fresh from emceeing a 1,200-person celebration of life for his dad. He talks about Nigel’s two rules for the event: no sadness, and a shot of scotch before you walk in. He talks about anticipatory grief, the long goodbye, and the strange feeling of being “lucky it hurts this much.”
This is a conversation about losing a parent to cancer, medical assistance in dying, MAID Canada, grief and loss, grief support for men, father loss, mental health, family legacy, and the father son relationship that keeps shaping you after your dad dies.
If your dad died recently, years ago, or you are walking through this with him right now, you are not alone.
Welcome to the club no one wants to join.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll hear about:
Why losing your dad can feel painful and strangely lucky
What anticipatory grief feels like after years of illness
How one family handled MAID and medical assistance in dying
What dying with dignity looked like for Nigel’s family
Why Matty’s dad wanted scotch, not sadness, at his celebration of life
How grief shows up when the goodbye is planned but still impossible
What losing a parent to cancer teaches you about love, legacy, and mental health
How the father son relationship shapes you after your dad dies
Why “What would Nig do?” became a way to keep his dad close
👨👦 About Matty and his dad, Nigel
Matty Woods lost his dad, Nigel, after a nine-year experience with prostate cancer.
Nigel was funny, proud, stubborn, generous, and deeply loved. He wanted his final days to reflect how he lived: with family, humor, dignity, and a decent glass of scotch.
In this episode, Matty talks about what it was like to say goodbye, host a huge celebration of life, and start figuring out who he is without his dad physically here.
It is a conversation about father loss, cancer, MAID, grief, pride, family, and the weird little moments that show up after someone dies.
Also, yes, there are laughs. Because grief is weird like that. Rude, honestly.
⏱️ Episode chapters
0:00 – “1,200 People, One Shot of Scotch”
3:00 – Nigel’s Rules for His Celebration of Life
6:30 – “I’m Lucky It Hurts This Much”
7:30 – Prostate Cancer and Dark Humor
12:00 – Anticipatory Grief and the Long Goodbye
13:00 – Choosing MAID on His Own Terms
15:00 – The Bluebird Day, the Bridge, and the Scotch
17:30 – Being With His Dad at the End
18:45 – The Plane, the Comet, and “There He Is”
23:30 – Emceeing in Front of 1,200 People
30:00 – “What Would Nig Do?”
32:30 – Why Matty Feels Infinitely Proud
🖤 About Dead Dads
Dead Dads is a podcast for men figuring out life after losing their dad. Hosted by Roger Nairn and Scott Cunningham, the show features honest conversations about father loss, grief, identity, family, memory, masculinity, and all the strange stuff that happens after your dad dies. No grief brochure voice. No tidy healing arc. Just real conversations for guys who are grieving, remembering, avoiding, laughing, carrying on, or trying to understand what losing a father did to them.
You’re not alone.
☕ If Dead Dads has helped you feel a little less alone, consider buying us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/deaddadspodcast
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New episodes every week.
Dead Dads Podcast is produced with the support of JAR Podcast Solutions, the branded podcast agency that helps organizations build shows people actually want to spend time with. Learn more at https://jarpodcasts.com/
