What happens when the person you have shared almost your entire adult life with is suddenly gone—and you are left trying to work out who you are without them?

In this deeply honest episode of Real Unfiltered Dad Journeys, Steve sits down with Michael, a father, grandfather and widower who lost his wife, Neryl, after 44 years of marriage. Michael reflects on becoming a dad at 25, missing the birth of his first daughter because he was playing hockey, being known as the “bad cop” of the family and eventually becoming the grandfather affectionately known as Grumpy.

But the heart of this conversation is what happened after Neryl died.

Michael speaks openly about the first months of grief, the crushing silence of an empty home and why evenings remain the hardest part of his day. He shares how simple phone calls, late-night walks and ordinary conversations helped him survive—and why supporting someone through grief does not require perfect words or solutions. Sometimes, it simply means picking up the phone, listening and creating a safe place for them to talk.

Steve and Michael also explore why men often suppress their emotions, the fear of crying in front of others and the pressure to appear as though everything is under control. Together, they challenge the belief that strength means holding everything inside.

Michael also shares how losing Neryl took away his sense of purpose—and how he slowly began transforming that loss into a mission: helping other widowed men move beyond simply filling their days and begin building meaningful lives again with creation of The Grandpa Coach.

This is a raw conversation about fatherhood, marriage, grief, loneliness, identity and the small moments of joy that give us a reason to keep going.

Because sometimes healing does not begin with advice. It begins when someone stays, listens and allows you to finally lose it, if we allow oneself to.

Powerful quotes from this episode with Michael..

It’s okay to cry.”

“How do I control this so I don’t look or sound like I’m losing it, when, in fact, I am?”

“If we do let ourselves go and lose it, then we’d be better off.”

“I didn’t like you very much… I changed my mind. I got to know you.”

“I think I’m finding myself.”

“Since Narelle died, I’ve gradually moved into a world of helping widowed men live a better life.”

“Get on the phone and have a chat to them—not necessarily expressing your condolences, but just chatting.”

“I don’t want to say they’re in a better place now, because that doesn’t help.”

“Wasn’t it great that I had the opportunity to spend my life with Narelle? She gave me the gift of her.”

“Every man who has become widowed deserves to live the rest of his life as the best it can be.”

RISE Framework | The Grandpa Coach

https://www.instagram.com/mrseeryau?igsh=MWUxc20zajZtbm92MQ==

Mike thought he knew exactly what kind of dad he was going to be.

Then Jack came along and blew that whole idea apart.

In this raw follow-up episode, Mike returns to talk about fatherhood, rare disease, faith, therapy, marriage, and the brutal beauty of learning that being a dad is not about control. It is not about building the perfect future. It is not about ticking off the milestones society tells us matter.

For Mike, fatherhood has become something much simpler, harder, and more honest:

Give Jack joy.

Mike opens up about watching his son live with an ultra-rare degenerative disease, the hope and uncertainty of gene therapy, the gut-punch moments of seeing Jack want to do things his body will not let him do, and the strange mix of grief and gratitude that lives inside everyday dad life.

This is not a neat inspirational story. It is messy. It is funny. It is heavy. It is full of love.

It is a conversation about showing up when you are tired, scared, angry, unsure, and still trying to be a good man for the people who need you most.

Most people wear a mask.

Michael doesn’t.

In this episode of Real Unfiltered Dad Journeys, we strip away the polished version of fatherhood and talk about what life actually looks like.

From quitting alcohol and being diagnosed with ADHD and autism as an adult, to working in disability support, raising two daughters, dealing with grief, and rebuilding yourself one decision at a time—nothing is off limits.

We talk about the conversations men usually have behind closed doors: purpose, marriage, mental health, identity, and what it takes to become someone your kids can genuinely look up to.

No fake motivation. No pretending we’ve got it all figured out. Just two dads talking honestly about the wins, the failures, and everything in between.

In this episode:

* Why Michael walked away from alcohol

* Being diagnosed with ADHD & autism as an adult

* The reality of working in disability support

* Fatherhood beyond the clichés

* Marriage, purpose and becoming a better man

* Grief, mortality and making peace with life

* Mental health and why more men need to talk

If you’re a dad—or simply trying to become a better man—this conversation is for you.

Real stories. Real conversations. Real Unfiltered Dad Journeys.