In this week's episode of Grieving Out Loud, Angela Kennecke speaks with another family she met at the DEA Family Summit, a conference for midwest parents who've lost a child to fentanyl, that she attended in November of 2022. 

Bridgette and Tom Norring, a Hastings, Minnesota family, is one of the dozens of families suing the parent company of Snapchat after their children died from drug overdoses. Norring's son, Devin, was an athlete, honor student, and musician who made a deadly mistake. He bought what he thought was a Percocet from a drug dealer through Snapchat, which ended up being 100 percent fentanyl and it killed him. 

Now the family wants to raise awareness and encourage Snapchat to make changes to prevent future drug deaths.

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Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

In this emotional episode of Grieving Out Loud, we sit down with Shannon Sayers, a mother who tragically lost her daughter and stepson to the deadly drug fentanyl. With both of their deaths occurring less than a month apart, Sayers' world was turned upside down, and she was forced to confront the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic. Her stepson, who had given her daughter what they believed to be Oxycontin, but was actually a lethal dose of fentanyl, took his own life using the same batch of drugs because of the guilt and shame he felt for his role in her death. 

Now, Sayers is bravely sharing her family's story with her sister Angel Pletkas to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and the devastating toll it takes on families and communities. Tune in to hear their story of grief, resilience, and advocacy in the face of tragedy.

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Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

Every five minutes, an American dies from a drug overdose. It's a startling statistic that Ann Breeding and Natalie Kritenbrink know about all too well. We caught up with the two Des Moines area mothers who lost sons to overdoses at the DEA Family Summit for parents who've lost children to fentanyl in November of 2022. 

Hear how these two mothers have bonded over their grief and about their mission to prevent other moms from going through similar situations in this episode of Grieving Out Loud.

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Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

Join host Angela Kennecke on this week's episode of Grieving Out Loud as she sits down with Gary Mendell, founder, and CEO of the non-profit Shatterproof.

Gary Mendell appeared to have it all. He founded one of the fastest-growing hotel investment firms in the United States that became a multi-billion dollar company. However, Gary was secretly struggling because one of his children was dealing with a substance use disorder. Tragically, Brian died by suicide, leaving behind a note outlining the shame he felt about his addiction.

In this powerful episode, Gary shares his story of loss and his vow to his son to eradicate the stigma surrounding substance use disorders. 

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Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

In this milestone episode, your host of Grieving out Loud, Angela Kennecke, reflects on the last four years of the Emily's Hope podcast. Angela started the podcast after losing her daughter Emily to fentanyl poisoning. Through her interviews with parents and experts in addiction and grief, Angela has created a community where families dealing with loss and addiction can find support and hope.

Angela takes us back to the beginning, revisiting her first episode and sharing some of the most poignant moments from the past 99 episodes. We hear these highlights from guests who have shared their stories of addiction and grief and experts who have given insights into coping with loss and understanding addiction.

As the most listened-to podcast on the topic of fentanyl poisoning, addiction, and grief, Grieving out Loud has made a difference in the lives of many. Thank you to our loyal listeners for your support!

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Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

You may check out TikTok to get a laugh, learn a new recipe, or catch up on the latest makeup trend. However, a bereaved grandma and mom uses the platform to raise awareness about a much more serious topic.

Teresa Carreon has experienced the tragedy of losing her daughter and unborn grandson to a drug overdose. She is now using TikTok to raise awareness about the realities of substance use disorder and to prevent future overdose tragedies.

On this episode of Grieving Out Loud with Angela Kennecke, hear Teresa's story and what she is doing to navigate life and help others heal through her journey.

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Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

Your host, Angela Kennecke, sits down with author Brianne Edwards. After losing her ten-month-old son to SIDS, Brianne's grief was unbearable, struggling to eat, breathe, and think. However, she found healing and broke the cycle of pain.

Listen to her powerful story of loss and recovery, and learn how she has helped hundreds of people through grieving on this episode of Grieving Out Loud.

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Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, your host, Angela Kennecke, speaks with Jeff Grossman. Jeff shares his battle with substance use disorder.

At 22 years old, Jeff found comfort in alcohol, using it to help him cope with struggles of his identity and sexuality. Over time, his drinking became more and more destructive, impacted his relationships and jobs, and even put his life and others' lives in danger. However, after a life-altering accident, he sought help and received support from an Emily's Hope Treatment Scholarship.

Now, Jeff is dedicated to giving back and helping others overcome their substance use issues while working toward ending the stigma surrounding addiction.

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Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

Fentanyl poisoning is now the number one cause of death for people ages 18 to 45. Licensed Clinical Social Worker Phyllis Babrove knows that all too well. She lost her daughter to the epidemic; now, she has a warning for other parents.

Babrove believes the drug situation in the U.S. is destroying American families. That's why she wrote the book "Words From A Mother In Mourning: How To Protect Your Child From Drugs."

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, host Angela Kennecke sits down with Babrove to hear her advice.

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Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, host Angela Kennecke sits down with Honesty Liller, a recovering addict and "Hope Dealer" for those battling substance use disorders.

Honesty shares her story of addiction, including her near-fatal overdose at 17 and giving birth to her daughter while on heroin. Now in long-term recovery, Honesty talks about the importance of addressing the growing need for help for those struggling with addiction. Honesty has also written a book about her experiences. 

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Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz