In today’s episode, I’m joined by my best friend Millie as we reminisce on our friendship of 20 years, the highs and lows that we’ve been through together, how we have learnt from one another along the way of not only how to be a good friend, but how to be a friend to someone who is grieving. 

Millie and I met in nursery and have traveled through our entire lives together, meaning that along the way we have been there for each other in the darkest of times.

In this conversation Millie and I look back at the day when not only my life changed forever, but hers did too, when Matt passed away. We share our memories over the last 10 years, the lessons we have learnt along the way, discuss the different phases and emotions of grief and Millie gives wonderful guidance to anyone listening who is a friend of someone grieving.

We talk about:

• The day my brother passed away from both of our perspectives, acknowledging Millie's grief and emotions too!

• Our different school experiences, food as a love language and returning to life after loss.

• The different phases I went through and how Millie acknowledged and approached these along the way.

• Our travels around the world together, where this left me emotionally during and after and how to be there for someone in the darkest of moments.

• How Millie views grief, potential dos and don’ts, and warm advice of how to approach friendships after one of you has lost a loved one. 

And so much more! 

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In today’s episode, I’m joined by my best friend Leah to discuss her recent experience of losing her nan. Leah and I have been friends for 13 years and so we’ve been through a lot together and witnessed each other’s highs and lows throughout the years.

Leah had a close and special relationship with her nan and sadly arrived home from travelling earlier this year to the devastating news that she had passed away.

In this conversation, Leah shares her story of her final goodbye with her nan, what it was like being away from her family while her nan was ill, what the months have been like since her nan passed, and some of the mindset shifts she has taken on to help her deal with this loss. 

We talk about:

• Leah’s experience of being away from home travelling during her nan’s final weeks, and how she handled the sadness and worry alongside the contrasting experience of being away on a once-in-a-lifetime trip

• Arriving home to such devastating news and what the aftermath was like, including her heartache for her mum

• Funerals, how weird they can be, and both of our experiences of speaking and singing at funerals of loved ones we’ve lost, as well as not knowing how to act and how to balance the mourning of the lost person alongside celebrating their life

• Leah’s decision to go travelling again after her nan’s funeral, and how she’s shifted her mindset to positivity

And much more! 

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In today’s episode, I continue the conversation with my mum, Debbie, as we discuss our shared journey of grief, specifically talking about the loss of my brother and her son, Matt. 

• The unique grief of losing a child from my mum’s perspective, how our experience of Matt shaped our family and my mum’s experience of trying to help her children whilst also grieving herself

• Our experience of family counselling (which we can look back on and laugh at now!) and how grief can look and feel different for everyone 

• Our evolving relationship as we’ve grown through grief together, and the impact the experience has had on our bond

• The power of maintaining connections with your loved one, and the importance of carrying them with you into your present and your future

• Tools that can help you process grief, including journaling 

• The importance of asking for help and why you don’t have to grieve alone

And much more! This is part two of my conversation with my mum, so if you missed episode 1, you can watch it here. There, she talks more about her own experience of being just 21 when she lost her beloved dad. 

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In this first episode of Lost & Found with Frankie, I sit down with a very special guest - my amazing mum, Debbie. My mum is someone who has journeyed with grief more than most, and she has so much wisdom to share for anyone on their own journey with grief right now.

In today’s episode, she opens up about losing her dad unexpectedly on Christmas day when she was just 21 years old.

• Her experience of losing a parent at such a young age, what she found helped her cope, and her reflections on this from her perspective now as a mum herself who has gone on to have further losses in her life

• How a loss such as this changes your family dynamics and how different people within the family inevitably deal with grief differently,

• The messy emotions that come with grief - guilt, anger, fear - and why it’s okay to feel all of it

• Debbie’s experience of getting married without her dad by her side

• The importance of talking to people about your grief and keeping their memory alive, taking them with you through the rest of your life 

• Why you should give yourself space and time to grieve, respecting and honouring your grief, without feeling pressured to "move on".

• Debbie’s advice for young people dealing with grief, including the importance of talking to people about your grief, and honouring and respecting the place you are at in your journey.

And so much more. 

This is part one of my conversation with my mum, so please tune in next week for part two of the conversation, where we discuss our shared experience of losing my brother, her son, Matt. 

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Welcome to Lost and Found with Frankie, a podcast for young adults and teens who are navigating the complexities of figuring out who they are, whilst dealing with one of life’s most devastating experiences - grief.

I’m your host, Frankie, and I was just 13 years old when I unexpectedly lost my oldest brother, Matt. This podcast is my way of providing you with the safe space and support that I was looking for when I was a teenager facing one of the most isolating and devastating experiences life can throw at you. 

Each episode will bring you insights, stories and conversations helping to break down stigmas, normalise the many emotions that come with grief, tackle the tough topics that often go unspoken, and offering you practical advice for navigating daily life alongside your grief.

Hopefully this podcast will help you feel a little less alone, a little more understood and might even bring you a laugh along the way too.

To make sure you don't miss it when we launch officially next week, click the +Follow button on whichever App you're using to listen right now.

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