Grieving Out Loud: A Mother Coping with Loss in the Opioid Epidemic

By Angela Kennecke

After losing her 21-year-old daughter, Emily, to fentanyl poisoning, veteran journalist Angela Kennecke made it her life’s mission to break the silence surrounding substance use disorder and the ov

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The podcast currently has 285 episodes available.

Best of Grieving Out Loud: A Mother Coping with Loss in the Opioid Epidemic

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Moving Beyond Regret: A Mom's Message After Losing Her Son to Suicide
Regret and the tendency to punish ourselves can show up in everyday moments, like forgetting your phone at home, or in life-altering ways, like wondering what you could have done differently to prevent a tragedy. Today’s guest on Grieving Out Loud shares why holding onto that regret can be so damaging. Stephanie Renner lost her 18-year-old son, Jordon, to suicide after years of mental health struggles. Even after 25 years as an attorney helping CEOs and leaders navigate high-stakes decisions, nothing prepared her for the emotional trial she faced in the aftermath of her son’s death. What she discovered wasn’t a way to go back, but a way to move forward. From that journey, she created the “Regret to Resilience Method,” a framework designed to help others release guilt and shame and begin healing. In this episode, Stephanie shares her story, the lessons she’s learned, and how her approach is helping people rebuild with renewed purpose and authentic confidence after trauma or loss. Learn more about Stephanie's speaking, workshops, and coaching services here. Related episodes:Author Peggy Green on surviving your child’s suicideA Young, Accomplished Woman’s Secret Struggle with Addiction Results in SuicideMother blames cannabis-induced psychosis for son’s deathSend us Fan Mail Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated. They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.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
September 02, 202655min
Number 2: ‘The Avenue was Truly Peer Pressure:’ Mom Warns Parents After Son’s Fentanyl Death
Anne Fundner lost her 15-year-old son, Weston, to fentanyl poisoning in 2022. Weston was a high school freshman, a kid who was loved, supported, and given every opportunity his family could provide. But in one moment of peer pressure, he took a pill he thought was something else. It contained fentanyl, and he never woke up that February morning. Anne has refused to let Weston’s life be reduced to a statistic. Since his death, she has spoken on some of the biggest stages in the country, testified before Congress, and fought for legislation in his name. Now, she’s focused on a message she believes every parent needs to hear: the importance of talking to kids about peer pressure. Anne says fentanyl took her son’s life, but the avenue that led him there was peer pressure. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Anne shares Weston’s story, what she wishes she could have done differently, and how she’s working to prevent other families from experiencing the pain she knows all too well. Related episodes: Uniting for change: A bereaved mother organizes D.C. march to combat fentanyl crisisThe Cop Who Had to Investigate Her Own Daughter’s DeathHe Wanted Justice for His Son, So He Became the InvestigatorSend us Fan Mail Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated. They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.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
August 26, 202645min
Number 3: He Was Homeless and Battling Addiction. Then a Stranger Opened Her Door.
Millions of people have watched Bryan Blackmon’s TikTok videos featuring his nearly 90-year-old landlord, Elaine. But Elaine has done far more for Bryan than help him become a social media sensation. Before those videos ever went viral, Bryan was homeless and battling addiction. Elaine was a stranger who took a chance on him, offering him a place to live and helping him find sobriety after decades of addiction. That simple act of trust changed the course of Bryan’s life and became the foundation for what he would go on to build. Today, Bryan is the founder of Crab Crew Life, a high-accountability platform designed to help people move out of survival mode and create real, lasting change. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Bryan shares how the unexpected kindness of a stranger inspired him to help others change their lives, too. Watch and follow Bryan on TikTok here. Learn more about Crab Crew here. Related episodes:The Voice You Knew — The Story You Didn’tA middle-class family man’s journey into homelessness and heroinBrandon Novak’s Story: from fame to homelessness to helping others find recoverySend us Fan Mail Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated. They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.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
September 23, 20261h 19min
Number 4: Everyone Saw His Success. Few Knew He Was Battling Addiction.
Jason Granberg spent 25 years chasing a high, first with alcohol and later cocaine, believing the next dollar, success or possession would finally make him happy. Behind the success of building his own business, he was quietly battling depression and anxiety. A few years ago, Jason made a decision that terrified him; he called a helpline and asked to be sent somewhere far away, leading him to 42 days of detox and treatment in New Jersey. He returned home and has remained in recovery ever since. Along the way, he learned that no amount of money can fill an empty place inside you. Today, Jason is up at 4 a.m., at the gym by 5 and facing life head-on instead of running from it. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, the owner of Granberg Landscaping and Concrete shares his story of addiction, recovery and learning to find and love himself. Related episodes: When Men Don’t Cry: Confronting the Culture of Silent Grief Chris Farley’s Brother on the Comedy That Hid the Pain ‘I lost who I was.’ Emily’s Hope Treatment Scholarship gives mom second chance Send us Fan Mail Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated. They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.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
September 16, 202645min
Number 5: Chris Farley's Brother on the Comedy That Hid the Pain
From Saturday Night Live to hit films like Black Sheep and Tommy Boy, Chris Farley was one of the defining comedians of the 1990s. But behind the fame and larger-than-life humor, he was quietly battling substance use disorder. In 1997, Chris died at just 33 years old from an accidental overdose of cocaine and morphine. His brother, Tom Farley, is the guest on this episode of Grieving Out Loud. He knows firsthand what it’s like to hide what you’re really feeling, and how that can fuel addiction. Not only did he watch his brother struggle, he went through it himself, often masking his pain with humor, just like Chris. In this episode, Tom shares what he’s learned about overcoming addiction, finding real happiness, and why being your authentic self matters. He also talks about how he’s helping others stop hiding their emotions behind humor, anger, or alcohol. Learn more about recovery.com. Related episodes:Prince’s cousin’s efforts to expose the truth behind the musician’s fentanyl deathBrandon Novak’s Story: from fame to homelessness to helping others find recoveryAfter His Son’s Death, Music Executive Takes on Mental Health and Fentanyl Crisis Send us Fan Mail Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated. They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.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
August 12, 202647min