October 25, 2023

Leigh Smith - From Traumatic Brain Injury to Addiction

56 minutes

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this episode contains depictions and stories of siblings lost by suicide, homicide and/or domestic violence. We understand that some people may find these triggering, activating and/or disturbing.

Leigh first took on the role of her sister’s caretaker when Beth experienced a tragic car accident at 16. Beth’s accident caused a traumatic brain injury and she never recovered to be the same. The accident affected Beth’s reasoning and she was eventually thrust back into the teenage world of partying and drugs during her recovery leading to a 25 year battle with addiction.

In this episode, we delve deeper into the process of grieving and healing, discussing how Leigh was able to confront and work through the guilt and anger that arose after her sister's death. We also discuss the impact of Beth's life and death on Leigh's children, and how she helped them confront grief. We conclude with an exploration of how such experiences can reshape the dynamics and bonds within a family, underlining the power and resilience of sibling relationships.

In this episode we are covering:

(0:00:06) - Beth’s Story

(0:11:51) - Effects of Fentanyl

(0:25:42) - Navigating Guilt & Anger

(0:42:03) - Sibling Bonds Before and After Death

This Episode is sponsored by The Surviving Siblings Guide. ✨Get The Surviving Siblings Guide HERE

For full episode show notes and transcript, click here

Connect with Leigh:

Leigh's Facebook: Leigh Smith

Leigh's Instagram: @leighwsmith5

Connect with Maya:

Podcast Instagram: @survivingsiblingpodcast