What can people facing the end of life teach the rest of us about living right now?

In this episode of Dying to Know More, palliative care chaplain Cody Hufstedler shares what he’s learned from hundreds of deathbed conversations as well as the intimate conversations he's had with terminal patients on his podcast, "Dying to Tell You."

We also talk about grief, terminal illness, fear of death, finding meaning at the end of life, and how talking openly about death can help us live more intentionally. If you’re curious about end-of-life wisdom, hospice conversations, or living with purpose, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more honest conversations about death, grief, and what it means to truly live.

Find Cody online at:

dttypodcast.com

Instagram: @dttypod

Youtube: @dttypod

Facebook: dttypod

Tiktok: dying.to.tell.you

What happens when grief hits all at once, and how do you survive it? In this episode of Dying to Know More, author Samantha Rose shares the raw, disorienting reality of losing her mother to suicide and the unexpected ways she found healing.

An Emmy Award-winning writer and bestselling author, Samantha Rose talks about her memoir Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter’s Memoir, a powerful exploration of loss, love and the journey to healing — all with a touch of humor.

Learn how Samantha navigated a season of compounded grief, including divorce, cancer, her mother’s sudden death, and the isolation of COVID, and how those experiences reshaped her understanding of survival. She shares what it’s really like to lose someone to suicide, including the shock, guilt, anger, and unanswered questions that follow.

Samantha also reflects on the tools that helped her heal, from therapy to writing, and the deeply personal and surprising ways she continued a relationship with her mother after her passing.

This is a conversation about grief, but also about resilience, connection, and learning how to live again.

If you’ve ever wondered how people survive the unimaginable, or you’re navigating grief yourself, this episode offers honesty, comfort, and perspective you won’t hear in everyday conversations.

Purchase Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter's Memoir at https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Up-Ghost-Daughters-Memoir-ebook/dp/B0DPN6JP58

Learn more about Samantha Rose at the following:

https://www.yellowskymedia.com/my-story
IG: https://www.instagram.com/samantharose_writer
FB: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.rose.90813/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantharoseswartz

What happens when success no longer feels meaningful and grief changes everything?

In this episode, we talk with entrepreneur-turned-death doula Phil Benavides, who walked away from a thriving tech company after experiencing multiple personal losses during COVID. What followed was a complete life pivot, one that led him into the world of grief support, end-of-life care, and ultimately, building a groundbreaking platform to help people navigate the loss of a beloved pet.

Phil shares powerful insights into the emotional complexity of choosing euthanasia, what a “good death” can look like for our pets, and how simple, intentional moments can make all the difference.

They also dive into the inspiration behind Remembrance, the new app designed to connect grieving pet owners with real humans who understand their pain, exactly when they need it most ... even if it's at 2 a.m.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why pet loss can feel just as painful as losing a person
• The concept of “disenfranchised grief” and why it matters
• How to know when it’s time to say goodbye to your pet
• What actually helps people process grief (hint: it’s not articles)
• How peer support and pet tech is reshaping the future of pet grief care

Check out Remembrance Pets here: https://remembrancepets.com/