In this episode, we talk about something many grieving parents eventually discover — loss reveals who your people really are.

After losing our son Ryder, Anne and I found ourselves navigating life as parents after loss while trying to plan memorial services, travel home to the Midwest, and process a grief that felt impossible to carry.

This episode shares the next chapter of our grief journey as a loss dad and loss parents, including:

• The unexpected events that led us to hold Ryder’s service in Iowa • Bringing our son home in an urn and the emotions that came with it • The painful reality of who didn’t show up • The surprising people who did • Why there is no perfect thing to say to someone experiencing child loss • The importance of simply showing up for grieving parents

We also reflect on a moment that opened our eyes to a larger issue in the United States — maternal fetal health and infant mortality, something we will explore more deeply in future episodes.

If you are navigating parenting after loss, stillbirth, infant loss, pregnancy loss, or the grief journey of losing a child, we hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone.

And if you love someone who is grieving, this episode offers one simple reminder:

You don’t need perfect words.

Just show up.