The P-I-G: Stories of Life, Love, Loss & Legacy

Episode Summary:
Curled up in pajamas with bowls of popcorn (affectionately called "pokey" by their late mother), sisters Kellie and Erin launch a brand-new PJs & Pokey series—an ongoing space for relaxed, heartfelt conversations about what they’re learning, how this journey is changing them, and the moments that matter most.

In this first PJs & Pokey episode, they take a step back to reflect on the unexpected lessons, deep conversations, and personal transformations that have unfolded through the first four episodes of The P-I-G. What began as a podcast to explore life, love, loss, and legacy has evolved into something far greater—an opportunity to reconnect, heal, and better understand each other in ways they never anticipated.

Through tears, laughter, and raw honesty, they discuss:

• Beating the Podcast Odds—Most shows don’t make it past episode three, but THE P-I-G is thriving!
• Memorable Moments & Takeaways—From Chris Howard’s powerful insights on legacy to Marcus & Jason’s personal journeys through love and loss, and Wendy Cohen’s unimaginable strength in the wake of her daughter’s tragic abduction and murder.
• Healing Their Sisterhood— After grieving in very different ways, maturity and launching this podcast has reconnected them in ways they never expected. 
• Lessons from SXSW—Strangers deeply resonated with their message, validating the importance of storytelling, connection, and sharing conversations about life, love, loss, and legacy.
• What’s Next on The P-I-G—A look ahead at upcoming episodes, including family stories, expert insights, and listener experiences.

“The greatest gift of all, the greatest gift that she gave either of us, is each other.”  This episode is raw, real, and deeply personal. Whether you’ve been with them since Episode 1 or you’re just tuning in, it’s a reminder that healing happens through connection, conversations change lives, and sometimes, the greatest gift of all is each other.

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From Our Heart to Yours...
Hearing the stories of others helps us connect more deeply to our own—because legacy is built in how we live, every single day.

Support the Show
If The P-I-G has meant something to you, consider supporting or sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship.

Connect with Us
📬 The P-I-G Website: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook: /podcast.thePIG
📱 Instagram: /thepigpodcast
📱 LinkedIn: /thepigpodcast

Episode Summary:
On January 17, 2003, Lacy Jo Miller vanished.

A 20-year-old college student from Fort Collins, Colorado, Lacy was enjoying a night out with friends. But she never made it home. Ten grueling days later, her body was discovered in a remote canyon outside the city—her life stolen in an act of unthinkable violence.

As investigators uncovered the truth, they learned that her killer had posed as a police officer, pulling her over for what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. Even more chilling, this wasn’t the first time he had used this method to lure victims.

Today, we sit down with Wendy Cohen, Lacy’s mother, to honor her daughter’s life, explore the devastating reality of loss, and learn how Wendy has found the strength to transform grief into gratitude, pain into purpose—all while carrying happiness, empathy, and love in her heart.

Together, We Discuss:

• Our personal connection to Lacy’s story and why this conversation matters.
• Who Lacy was—her spirit, her dreams, and the incredible young woman she was becoming.
• The night she disappeared and the grueling investigation that followed.
• Wendy’s journey to process unimaginable loss while building an unexpected connection with her daughter’s killer’s family—seeking healing for everyone involved.
• What we can learn from Lacy’s story—including crucial safety tips for anyone facing a nighttime traffic stop.

This is a deeply emotional and profoundly important conversation about the unbreakable strength of a mother’s love, the long shadow of grief, and the ways we carry forward the legacies of those we’ve lost.

This is an episode that deserves to be heard. If it resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear Lacy’s story.

We would love to hear from you—please send us some "Fan Mail"!

Support the show

From Our Heart to Yours...
Hearing the stories of others helps us connect more deeply to our own—because legacy is built in how we live, every single day.

Support the Show
If The P-I-G has meant something to you, consider supporting or sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship.

Connect with Us
📬 The P-I-G Website: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook: /podcast.thePIG
📱 Instagram: /thepigpodcast
📱 LinkedIn: /thepigpodcast

Episode Summary:

Love. Loss. Legacy. These three words shape our lives in ways we often don’t fully understand—until we’re forced to. In part two of this powerful conversation with Marcus Straub and Jason Jepson, we explore the moments that changed them, the experiences that tested them, and the lessons they carry forward.

• Marcus is a 20+ year life and business coach who has guided thousands through grief, reinvention, and learning how to live with purpose. His own journey has been filled with challenges that shaped the way he shows up for himself, his family, and his clients. Connect with Marcus and LIG Coaching & Consulting at https://ligcoaching.com/.
  
  
• Jason is a father, entrepreneur, and creative force who has navigated deep personal loss and profound transformation. He understands what it means to build, to rebuild, and to find meaning in the process. 

This is an emotional, thought-provoking conversation about the lessons we carry forward, the relationships that shape us, and the choices we make every day to create a meaningful life. 

We would love to hear from you—please send us some "Fan Mail"!

Support the show

From Our Heart to Yours...
Hearing the stories of others helps us connect more deeply to our own—because legacy is built in how we live, every single day.

Support the Show
If The P-I-G has meant something to you, consider supporting or sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship.

Connect with Us
📬 The P-I-G Website: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook: /podcast.thePIG
📱 Instagram: /thepigpodcast
📱 LinkedIn: /thepigpodcast

Episode Summary:
What happens when two strong, driven, and deeply introspective men sit down to discuss life, love, loss, and legacy? You get one of the most insightful and thought-provoking conversations yet on THE P-I-G. In this episode, we introduce you to two of the most important people in our lives—Kellie’s husband, Marcus, and Erin’s boyfriend, Jason. But this isn’t just about their connection to us. These two powerful, intelligent, and deeply reflective men have built their own unique legacies—shaped by love, heartbreak, success, and tremendous loss.

• Jason is a devoted father, an entrepreneur, and a creative visionary who has carved his own path both professionally and personally. He is someone who loves deeply, sees possibility everywhere, and has experienced profound shifts throughout his life that have shaped who he is today.
  
  
• Marcus is a 20+ year life and business coach who has spent decades helping people navigate the complexities of life—guiding them through personal transformation, owning their reality, and learning how to embrace love, loss, and reinvention with clarity and purpose. He has worked with thousands of clients worldwide, including us—Erin, Jason, and Kellie—to help us grow into better versions of ourselves and prepare for The Boxes and The P-I-G projects.

 
Join us as we dive into...

• How Jason unknowingly set this journey in motion by introducing The Boxes to his longtime friend and film/television producer Chris Howard.
• Marcus’s perspective as both a husband and a coach—and how watching The Boxes project unfold has deepened his view on legacy.
• The defining moments that shaped their lives—the loves they’ve cherished, the losses they’ve endured, and the lessons they’ve carried forward.
• How fatherhood has influenced their understanding of legacy, and what they hope to leave behind for their own children and families.
• The shifts they’ve witnessed in our relationship as sisters—and how this project has impacted our family dynamics…and so much more!

This episode is raw, insightful, and deeply personal. It’s about what it means to be a strong, emotionally aware man in today’s world, how to navigate love and loss with intention, and how to build a life that truly matters.

We would love to hear from you—please send us some "Fan Mail"!

Support the show

From Our Heart to Yours...
Hearing the stories of others helps us connect more deeply to our own—because legacy is built in how we live, every single day.

Support the Show
If The P-I-G has meant something to you, consider supporting or sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship.

Connect with Us
📬 The P-I-G Website: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook: /podcast.thePIG
📱 Instagram: /thepigpodcast
📱 LinkedIn: /thepigpodcast

Episode Summary:

In this deeply personal debut episode of The P-I-G, sisters Kellie Straub and Erin Thomas invite you into their family’s most sacred legacy—The Boxes. These carefully curated gifts, left by their late mother, Marsha, before her passing in 1994 arrived at pivotal life moments carrying her love, wisdom, and presence to bridge time and loss in a most extraordinary way.

Joined by close friend and producer Chris Howard, Kellie and Erin share the profound impact these gifts have had on their lives, the healing power of reconnection, and how this once private family story has grown into something much bigger. This episode dives into what it truly means to live with intention, to love deeply, to navigate loss, and to leave a legacy that transcends generations.

Whether you’re in the throes of loss or grief, exploring your own legacy, or simply seeking stories that inspire connection and reflection, this is the perfect place to begin your journey with us. 

Key Topics:

• The origin of The Boxes and their emotional significance
• The profound impact of life, love, loss, and legacy
• Reconnecting as sisters and the healing power of storytelling
• Chris’s personal reflections and connection to the project
• What The P-I-G podcast is all about and what’s to come

Resources & Links:

• "Uplugged with Chris Howard" (podcast): Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Merging Veterans & Players (MVP): https://vetsandplayers.org

We would love to hear from you—please send us some "Fan Mail"!

Support the show

From Our Heart to Yours...
Hearing the stories of others helps us connect more deeply to our own—because legacy is built in how we live, every single day.

Support the Show
If The P-I-G has meant something to you, consider supporting or sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship.

Connect with Us
📬 The P-I-G Website: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook: /podcast.thePIG
📱 Instagram: /thepigpodcast
📱 LinkedIn: /thepigpodcast

What began as a tribute to our mother has become something much bigger.

After losing her to cancer and receiving the milestone boxes she prepared before she died, we launched The P-I-G to honor her legacy. But somewhere along the way, the baton was passed. The torch was lit. And this sister project evolved into a space for unboxing the experiences that shape us all.

The P-I-G stands for Purpose, Intention, and Gratitude—not as buzzwords, but as a way of living.

Here, we explore life, love, loss, and legacy through real conversations with guests who transform pain into leadership, fear into courage, and change into growth.

Because hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own.

If you’ve ever wondered how to carry the torch forward…
 how to heal what feels broken…
 or how to turn what happened to you into who you’re becoming…

You’re in the right place.

Welcome to The P-I-G.

We would love to hear from you—please send us some "Fan Mail"!

Support the show

From Our Heart to Yours...
Hearing the stories of others helps us connect more deeply to our own—because legacy is built in how we live, every single day.

Support the Show
If The P-I-G has meant something to you, consider supporting or sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship.

Connect with Us
📬 The P-I-G Website: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook: /podcast.thePIG
📱 Instagram: /thepigpodcast
📱 LinkedIn: /thepigpodcast