💔 About This Episode

What do you do when grief crashes into your life without warning?

In this intimate and emotionally raw conversation, host Brian Smith sits down with Diandra Ford-Wing, an African-American author and sales director who made the courageous decision to pause her life and fully sit with her grief after her mother’s sudden passing.

Together, Brian and Diandra—both of whom have experienced the devastating shock of sudden loss—open up about the moments that shattered them, the signs that gave them hope, and the transformation that comes when we choose to feel deeply rather than move on quickly.

This is more than an interview. It’s two people speaking from their hearts about the mess, the mystery, and the meaning found in mourning.

🕊️ What You'll Hear

• The moment Diandra got the call that changed everything
• Why she left her career to process grief on her own terms
• The powerful symbolism behind the red bird
• The mystery surrounding her aunt’s death in The Gambia
• How Brian's daughter Shayna continues to guide his life after death
• Why grief in the Black community often goes unspoken—and how storytelling breaks that silence
• A candid discussion about anger, disbelief, and the fog of the first year
• The surprising connection between Diandra’s mother and her newborn great-niece, Eden

📘 About Diandra's Book: Red Bird

Red Bird began as journal entries written during a sacred pause—and grew into a soul-stirring novel that helps readers explore their own relationship to loss, love, and legacy. It’s a short, powerful read meant to be absorbed in a day or two, but carried with you for a lifetime.

📚 Get the book: booksbydiandra.com
📷 Follow Diandra on Instagram: @diandrafordwing

🧠 Reflect + Connect

💬 Listener prompt:
Have you ever had a moment where a sign—like a bird, a dream, or a memory—felt like a message from a loved one on the other side?

👉 Share your story with us at: g

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

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