In this special episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. looks back on a handful of conversations that reveal a truth shared by every caregiver who has joined the show: no one plans for this role. There is always an event that shifts a life in an instant. A diagnosis that stops the room. A fall that comes out of nowhere. A late night trip to the hospital that becomes the beginning of a new reality.

Drawing from stories across the season, Paul weaves together the moments that marked the start of caregiving for so many of our guests. A spouse who collapses overnight with stage four cancer. A father’s sudden seizure witnessed by an eleven year old daughter. A grandmother who falls and becomes frail as her family steps in to carry her. A parent who reaches out for help for the first time. A caregiver who comes home from work to find everything changed. These are the sparks that reshape families and lives, even when no one feels ready.

Through these voices, this episode explores the emotional shift that happens in the instant when caregiving begins: the fear, the responsibility, the instinct to act, and the quiet realization that life will not look the same after this day. It is not a highlight reel, but a reflection on what becomes clear only in hindsight. Caregiving often starts suddenly, unexpectedly, and with a heart that is doing its best to keep up with the moment.

Paul invites listeners to revisit these stories not for the crisis itself, but for the shared human experience of stepping into care. Whether the moment arrived with a diagnosis, a decline, a phone call, or an internal pull to step forward, this episode honors the beginning of the caregiving journey and the resilience that follows.

If you have ever found yourself caring for someone you love, especially without warning, this episode offers recognition, connection, and the reminder that you are not alone in that moment of becoming.

Content Warning: This episode includes conversation about suicide, substance use, and grief. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 in the U.S. If outside the U.S., visit iasp.info/crisis for international support.

In this powerful episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. sits down with Jeff Johnston, founder and CEO of Brighten and host of the Living Undeterred podcast. Together they explore grief, resilience, and the complexity of caregiving through unimaginable loss.

Jeff shares his journey after losing his 23-year-old son to fentanyl poisoning, the years of alcoholism that followed, and the heartbreak of losing his wife shortly after. He speaks openly about the toll grief took on his family and the moment he chose to rebuild; leading to sobriety, purpose, and a mission to help others navigate suffering with compassion and courage.

Together, Paul and Jeff discuss caregiving behind closed doors: supporting a spouse through addiction, parenting teenagers in grief, raising a young granddaughter, and later stepping into caregiving for aging parents. Jeff also shares the origin of Brighten, the mental wellness app inspired by his granddaughter, and why prevention and access are essential in the future of mental health support.

This is a conversation about pain, hope, identity, and what it means to choose life after loss.

In this powerful episode of Sandwiched, Jenna Noel shares the moment life shifted in a way she never expected. With two teens at home and a growing career, she suddenly found herself stepping into the role of primary caregiver for both of her aging parents.

Jenna opens up about her father’s long journey with Parkinson’s and her mother’s recent dementia diagnosis, and how those realities reshaped the rhythm of her family life. What once felt manageable became a constant coordination of appointments, medications, safety planning, and emotional weight.

She speaks candidly about navigating guilt, boundaries, identity, and the pressure to show up for everyone. Jenna also highlights the workplace resources that helped her stay afloat, including Employee Assistance Programs, legal support, concierge services, and leaders who practiced compassion rather than just policy.

This conversation offers a grounded look at what happens when caregiving becomes part of who you are, even if you never saw it coming. Jenna’s story resonates deeply with anyone balancing parents, children, career, and self, and she brings forward insights that make caregiving feel a little less lonely. If you’re juggling aging parents, kids, work, and your own well-being, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone, and that support truly exists.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, with host, Paul H. Richardson, Jr.