Part One of a deeply personal two-part series on grief.

In this episode of Hank’s Mom Has Opinions, Denise talks about the immediate aftermath of losing her son, Ethan, eight years ago — the shock, disbelief, numbness, and quiet reality of learning how to survive a life you never would have chosen.

This is not a story about blame.
It’s not a lecture about addiction.
And it’s definitely not a guide to “getting over” loss.

It’s an honest conversation about grief as it actually feels: confusing, heavy, deeply personal, and different for everyone who carries it.

Through reflections on survival, emotional processing, and the unexpected comfort found in small moments — including the steady presence of Hank, the world’s most emotionally persistent German Shorthaired Pointer — Denise explores what it means to keep moving when your world has fundamentally changed.

If you’re grieving, loving someone through addiction, or simply trying to understand loss a little better…this episode is for you.

And as always:
Drink your water.
Do your sanity check.
And maybe let the dog convince you to go outside.