Raised by athletes and shaped by a worldview that prized “winning at all costs,” Tristan never imagined his greatest challenge would come not on the ice, but in his grandfather’s bedroom. When a sudden stroke left his grandpa bedbound, Tristan dropped everything—his business, his ambitions, his sanity at times—to become his caregiver. What began as an act of love turned into two years of daily sacrifice, frustration, and an emotional marathon he never trained for.
In a conversation that is raw, unguarded, and full of unexpected humor, Tristan confesses to losing clients, losing himself, and clinging to the hope that, through sheer effort, he could “win” at hospice care. He talks about meals that became rituals of celebration and then routine, the slow suffocation of monotony and resentment, and the guilt and freedom that crashed in the moment his grandfather passed.
This is not a tidy story of saintly caregiving. Tristan gets angry. He is exhausted, sometimes resentful, sometimes hopeful—and always searching for meaning. He talks candidly about masculinity, control, family pressure, letting go, grief, and the spiritual detours (numerology, astrology, and real attempts to predict the end) that became necessary delusions to survive. His journey is not about “overcoming” but about enduring, surrendering, and becoming someone new in the process.
If you’ve ever cared for a loved one, lost your sense of self to someone else’s needs, or struggled to accept that some stories don’t have winners—Tristan’s story is for you. “You Don’t Win at Hospice” is a confession, a warning, and an act of hope for anyone carrying too much and trying to let go.
Earth Monster is a storytelling podcast uncovering the rawest, most vulnerable truths behind the stories we use to carry us through life. Subscribe for more conversations that celebrate the necessary delusions, the messy journeys, and the courage it takes just to keep going.