In this powerful and unflinching episode, Nikki reflects on the complicated, loving, and painful relationship she shared with her mother, Ann, a woman she describes as five feet of fury. Through stories filled with humor, tenderness, and truth, Nikki opens up about growing up in the shadow of trauma, navigating abuse, and learning as an adult to see her mother not only as a parent, but as a woman shaped by her own wounds.
This conversation explores what it means to grieve someone you loved deeply, even when the relationship was fractured, and how grace, understanding, and perspective can emerge long after loss. Nikki shares memories of her mother’s fierceness, kindness, contradictions, and unforgettable spirit, along with the heartbreak of realizing just how much her absence would change her life.
Content warning: This episode includes discussions of childhood abuse and trauma. Listener discretion is advised.
Echoes of Her is a space for the full truth, where love and pain can exist together, and where stories help us feel less alone.
To Elizabeth Ann Shelton with Love
Host: Adell Coleman
Producer: Lairen Knott
Editor: Krystal Hill
Video Editor: Mike D. DuBose
www.echoesofherpodcast.com