What happens when you lose your mom at just 18 years old, before you’ve even had the chance to figure out who you are?

In this episode of Unparented: A Dead Parents Club Podcast, I sit down with Lisa Espinosa, a writer, speaker, and certified grief and loss counselor, to talk about the life-altering experience of losing her mom as a teenager. Lisa shares how her mom’s death from lung cancer shaped her early adulthood, what it taught her about love, presence, and faith, and how it later influenced the way she mothered and now “Mimi’s” her own family.

Lisa opens up about how she didn’t grieve well at first, the pressure she felt to be “strong,” and the unhealthy ways she tried to minimize her pain. She also shares how she eventually learned that grief isn’t something to get over, but something we learn to carry. From her mom sewing her wedding dress while sick, to the everyday lessons of presence and love, Lisa’s story is a reminder of how deeply our parents leave their mark on us.

We also talk about faith, the story of Job, and why Lisa believes that faith isn’t a magic formula, it’s trusting God even when life doesn’t make sense.

If you’ve ever lost a mother, or struggled with how to grieve as a young adult, Lisa’s story will remind you that even in profound loss, there is still room for hope, meaning, and joy.

🌐 Learn more about Lisa’s work: lisaespinoza.com