In this heartfelt episode of the Surviving Siblings Podcast, host Maya Roffler welcomes Elliet, a bereaved sibling who lost their younger brother, Dylan, in a tragic four-wheeling accident in 2003. At just eight years old, Elliet’s world was turned upside down when their best friend and only sibling was suddenly gone.

Elliet shares their deeply personal journey of navigating grief as a child, how their parents' loss impacted the entire family dynamic, and the emotional weight of growing up as a surviving sibling. They open up about the lasting effects of guilt, the struggle of answering the dreaded "Do you have any siblings?" question, and how they’ve finally found peace and healing—20+ years later.

This episode is a powerful conversation about sibling loss, the lifelong journey of grief, and the importance of self-discovery, therapy, and community support. Elliet also shares their experience of coming out as transgender and how it intersected with their grief journey, adding another layer of resilience to their incredible story.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to carry the weight of grief alone, Elliet’s story will remind you that you’re not alone. 

In This Episode:

(00:01:09) – Dylan: A Best Friend & Sidekick Elliet reflects on their childhood, growing up extremely close with Dylan, and the unique bond they shared as only siblings.

(00:02:31) – The Day That Changed Everything Elliet recounts the last time they saw Dylan before the tragic accident and the gut feeling they couldn’t shake.

(00:12:30) – The Moment of Realization Elliet describes the instant their world shattered and how they found out their brother was gone.

(00:16:10) – Grieving as a Child Navigating grief at eight years old, dealing with unanswered questions, and feeling the weight of loss in an unexplainable way.

(00:32:00) – Becoming the "Perfect" Child Elliet shares how they tried to make life easier for their parents, suppressing their own grief to avoid adding to their pain.

(00:42:39) – Finding Therapy & Self-Discovery After years of struggling, Elliet opens up about how therapy, personal growth, and embracing their identity have led them toward healing.

(00:50:54) – The 20-Year Milestone & Coming Out Elliet shares how the 20-year anniversary of Dylan’s passing coincided with their decision to come out as transgender, and how it deeply affected their relationship with family.

(01:01:06) – The Truth About Grief Why grief never disappears—but instead, we grow around it.

This episode is sponsored by The Surviving Siblings 

Connect with Elliet: 

• Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@littlemouseling18

Connect with Maya:

• Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivingsiblingspodcast/

• Maya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@survivingsiblingspodcast

• Twitter: https://x.com/survivingsibpod

• Website: thesurvivingsiblings.com

• Facebook Group: The Surviving Siblings Podcast

• YouTube: The Surviving Siblings Podcast

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast