In this heartfelt episode of Mending Piece by Piece, Michael Straley shares his powerful journey through grief, addiction, and healing after losing both of his children, Leah and Christopher, to tragic circumstances.Michael opens up about the devastating impact of addiction on families and how he and his wife chose to face their pain together rather than apart. He discusses the importance of expressing emotions, especially for men, and how bottling up grief can deepen suffering.Through the heartbreak, Michael and his wife found purpose. They founded Leah’s Legacy Foundation, an organization that provides essential resources to individuals in recovery and creates a hub of support for families affected by addiction. Michael also shares insights from his book The Calling, a reflection on faith, resilience, and turning pain into purpose.This episode is a testament to the power of community, the courage to keep living after unthinkable loss, and the healing that comes from helping others. Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:25 Michael’s Story of Loss04:15 Grieving as a Father and Husband08:50 Addiction, Recovery, and Community Support12:40 Founding Leah’s Legacy16:20 Faith, Purpose, and The Calling19:30 Lessons in Grief and Hope22:45 Closing ReflectionsRESOURCES:💜 Mending Piece by Piece Newsletter at: https://mendingpiecebypiece.beehiiv.com/ 💜 Mending Piece By Piece After A Suicide Loss: Guided Grief Workbook & Journal to Heal the Survivor's Heart - Amazon: https://a.co/d/6KSlue💜 Mending Piece By Piece: A Workbook & Journal for Navigating Grief with Hope - Amazon: https://a.co/d/dDBApwoSubscribe to my channel so you don’t miss each day’s gentle support.Michael's Book: The CALLing : https://a.co/d/ahXVLE0Connect with Michael:www.leahslegacy.netCONNECT WITH LINDA: https://linktr.ee/lindafalascolcsw Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/LindaFalascoLCSW/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindafalascolcsw/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lindafalascolcsw This video is NOT sponsored. If you find value in our podcast, we would love your support. Your generous contributions through Buy Me a Coffee help us continue building this community and producing conversations that shine a light on grief in all its forms. Every cup of coffee and kind word helps us continue this important work. Thank you for helping us make this possible! Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lindafalascolcsw DISCLAIMER: THIS VIDEO IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE OR THERAPY.