Don't Forget To Breathe: A Podcast for Living after Child Loss.

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In the final episode of this three part series, Stacy Dain reflects on the life that has unfolded since the death of her daughter Cassidy, and the ways grief has shaped how she shows up for other people.

After Cassidy died, Stacy created Cassidy’s Club, providing practical items to help families spending difficult days in the hospital. Years later, after being diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 45, that same instinct to give became a way to support people receiving cancer treatment.

Stacy and Bruce also talk about survival, the ex...

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In Part Two of Bruce’s conversation with Stacy Dain, the story turns to the decision Stacy and her husband made during the final days of their daughter Cassidy’s life: organ donation.

Cassidy’s heart was ultimately transplanted into a baby boy named Samuel.

Stacy shares what it was like waiting to learn whether a recipient could be found, the mixture of heartbreak and hope surrounding the transplant, and why she came to think of Samuel as “the rainbow after the storm.”

About a year later, the two famili...

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In Part One of this three part conversation, Bruce sits down with his friend and fellow bereaved parent, Stacy Dain.

More than 27 years ago, Stacy learned she was expecting twin girls, Caitlin and Cassidy. What began with excitement and dreams of raising three young children together changed suddenly after the twins were born. Caitlin was healthy, but within minutes of Cassidy’s birth, it became clear that something was terribly wrong.

Stacy shares the devastating days that followed, the decision to keep the twins together in the NICU, and the im...

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What happens when the person you're afraid might forget your child is you?

In Part Two of our conversation about remembering our children, Kristin shares something many bereaved parents may quietly carry: the fear and even guilt that comes when memories begin to fade. A birthday you can't completely recall. A story that's lost some of its details. A moment you know happened, but can no longer see as clearly as you once did.

Bruce and Kristin talk about those memories that sometimes seem tucked away until a...

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In the beginning, everyone remembers.

People call. They check in. They remember birthdays and anniversaries. They ask how you're doing. But as the years pass, something begins to change. The calls become less frequent. Fewer people mention your child's name. Life continues moving forward for everyone around you, while your child remains just as much a part of your life as ever.

In this episode of Don't Forget To Breathe, Bruce and Kristin talk openly about what remembering looks like many years after the deaths of Kristen and Zach. They...

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In Part 2 of our conversation with Erin Blechman, we begin with two words familiar to so many bereaved parents, “what if?”

What if I had noticed something? What if I had called? What if I had made a different decision?

Erin shares how guilt and child loss can become deeply intertwined, and offers a powerful reframing, turning “what if” into “even if,” as a way of confronting the painful belief that we somehow could have controlled the outcome.

The conversation expands into how child loss changes us, why every family...

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Erin Blechman describes her son Max as one of the most interesting people she has ever known. He was intelligent, creative, compassionate, funny, and deeply sensitive. He played music, wrote poetry and short stories, performed stand up comedy, and cared deeply about the injustices he saw in the world.

Max also lived with major depressive disorder, and in June of 2020, at age 25, he died by suicide.

In Part 1 of this two part conversation, Erin shares Max’s life beyond the circumstances of his death and speaks openly about the earliest da...

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What happens when a group of mothers who have experienced the death of a child step away from everyday life and into the mountains together?

In this special episode of Don't Forget To Breathe, Kristin reunites with several of the moms who shared a retreat weekend in the Colorado mountains. Together, they reflect on what they carried home with them, the connections they formed, and what it means to spend time with people who understand a grief that so often feels impossible to explain.

Their conversation explores the isolation of...

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Don’t Forget To Breathe

I still talk to you in empty rooms

In the silence and the Sunday afternoons

Some days I laugh

Some days I break

Some days I don’t know

What my heart can take

And everybody says that time moves on

But they don’t know a love this strong

So we carry what we cannot leave

And somehow learn to breathe

 <...

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As Season 4 comes to a close, Bruce Barker reflects on an unforgettable year of conversations, courage, and connection.

In this special solo episode, Bruce looks back at some of the season's most impactful moments with guests including Tammy, Jamie and Cooper, Scott Allen, Marissa, and John DeDakis. He shares how their stories, along with conversations with co-host Kristin Glenn, have helped normalize grief, honor our children, and remind bereaved parents that they are never alone.

Bruce also offers a preview of what's ahead in Season 5, including upcoming guests, new Foundation...

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Who were you before your child died? And who have you become since?

In this deeply personal conversation, Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn explore one of the most profound realities of child loss: the person you were before your child died no longer exists.

Together, they reflect on how grief reshapes identity, relationships, priorities, purpose, and even the way we experience the world. They talk about losing not only a son or daughter, but also the future they imagined, the confidence they once carried, and the version of themselves they...

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Marissa's daughter, Skylar, died in 2015 at just four years old. More than a decade later, Marissa shares what many bereaved parents quietly experience: the love hasn't changed, the grief hasn't disappeared, and healing can sometimes feel like betraying the child you miss every day.

In this deeply vulnerable conversation, Marissa talks about the physical pain of grief, addiction as an attempt to numb unbearable sorrow, carrying what she describes as "a rock" inside her, and the loneliness that comes when everyone around you seems to move forward while you remain emotionally anchored...

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Sometimes another person's words express exactly what our hearts have been trying to say.

In this special episode, Bruce and Kristin step away from the traditional interview format to share writings and reflections from several remarkable voices in the grief community, including Jameson Arasi, Paula Griffith, Donna Ashworth, and The Grief Table.

Together, they explore powerful themes including why grief is a lifelong expression of love, how grief and joy can exist together, the difference between memories and missing, learning to "move with" grief rather than trying to move on...

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What began as one father's way of surviving the loss of his daughter has grown into something far bigger than a podcast.

In this special episode, Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn announce the launch of the Don't Forget To Breathe Foundation, a nonprofit created to expand connection, conversation, and community for bereaved parents and those who walk beside them.

Bruce and Kristin share the story behind the foundation, the unmet needs they continue to see in the child loss community, and their vision for creating spaces where grieving...

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What happens when a journalist who spent decades telling other people's stories suddenly finds himself living the story he never wanted?

In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn welcome author, journalist, writing coach, and bereaved father John DeDakis. Together, they explore the life and legacy of John's son, Stephen, the realities of grief after child loss, and the lessons John has learned through years of writing, speaking, and walking alongside other grieving parents.

The conversation moves from fathers and grief to the power of storytelling, the healing...

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As we release this episode on Father's Day weekend, we recognize that this day can carry many emotions for bereaved fathers. It can be a day of love, remembrance, gratitude, heartache, and longing, often all at the same time.

In this special conversation, Bruce and Kristin sit down with Scott Allen to talk about his daughter, Jamie Summer Allen, a gifted mother of eight, talented musician, massage therapist, and deeply compassionate soul whose life touched countless people.

Scott shares Jamie's story, from her remarkable ability to connect with others to...

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In Part 2 of I Don't Know What To Say to a Grieving Parent, Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn continue their conversation for those supporting a bereaved parent.

This episode focuses on why positivity can feel dismissive, why grief cannot be fixed, and why presence matters more than advice, answers, or silver linings.

Bruce and Kristin talk about the difference between support and fixing, the harm of phrases like “stay positive” or “God needed another angel,” and why grieving parents need people willing to stay, listen, and remember their child over time.

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What do you say to a grieving parent?

For many people, the fear of saying the wrong thing leads to silence, distance, and disappearance. But for bereaved parents, that silence often hurts far more than imperfect words ever could.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn speak directly to the friends, family members, co-workers, and supporters who want to help grieving parents but feel unsure how.

Together, they share honest insight into:
• Why presence matters more than perfect words
• Simple phrases that genu...

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In part two of this heartfelt conversation, Cooper shares what it has been like navigating life after the loss of his brother, Parker, following part one’s conversation with their mom, Jamie.

Cooper speaks openly about the silence that filled their home after Parker died, the loss of motivation that followed, and the way grief evolved over time, from regret about the past to longing for the future they should have shared together.

He also talks about sibling grief being overlooked, the pressure young men often feel to “stay strong,” and wh...

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In Part 1 of this deeply personal conversation, Jamie shares the story of her son Parker, a vibrant, fearless ten-year-old whose life was tragically cut short during the Baja 500 in Mexico.

What follows is a raw and honest discussion about the moments that changed everything, the chaos and heartbreak of navigating unimaginable loss in a foreign country, and the impossible task of surviving while trying to hold a family together.

Jamie reflects on Parker’s larger-than-life personality, his love for football and friendships, and the meaningful ways his presence continues to sh...

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We live in a world wired to fix things. But grief, especially child loss, is not something that can be fixed.

In this episode, Bruce and Kristin explore the powerful shift from being a “fixer” to becoming a “witness.” Together, they unpack the instinct to ease pain, the discomfort that often causes people to pull away, and the quiet, lasting impact of simply staying present.

This conversation is for grieving parents, and also for those who love them but don’t know what to say or do. You’ll hear honest refle...

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In this deeply moving episode of Don’t Forget To Breathe, Tammy shares the story of her son, Easton, a bright, joyful little boy who was deeply loved and long awaited.

What began as a normal season of life turned into unimaginable loss in a matter of hours. Tammy walks us through the shock of losing Easton, the trauma of those final moments, and the long road of learning to live with grief that doesn’t go away.

She speaks candidly about:

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There’s a moment many grieving parents experience, but rarely say out loud.

A moment where laughter returns, or a sense of lightness breaks through… and almost immediately, it’s followed by guilt.

In this episode, Bruce and Kristin explore the complex and often conflicting emotions that arise when joy reenters life after child loss. Why does happiness feel like betrayal? Why do we question our right to feel anything other than grief?

Through personal stories, including Bruce’s first unexpected laugh after loss and Kristin’s experience during a p...

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In Part 2 of Gina’s story, we move beyond the moment everything changed and into the long, complicated reality of living after child loss. This conversation holds space for what grief becomes over time, the loneliness that cannot be fixed, the misunderstandings that even well-meaning people carry, and the deeply personal work of healing.

Gina shares what it means to feel “Gabe-sized loneliness,” a space no one else can fill, and how grief work looks different for everyone. From avoidance and delayed healing to the life-changing impact of family therapy, this episode brings...

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In Part 1 of this deeply moving conversation, Gina shares the story of her son, Gabe, a kind, funny, and compassionate 17-year-old whose presence impacted everyone around him.

From memories of his humor and heart, to the way he showed up for kids who felt unseen, this episode paints a beautiful picture of who Gabe was before everything changed.

Gina then walks us through the day of the accident, the hospital, and the unimaginable moments that followed. What unfolds is not only a story of loss, but a powerful reflection of...

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When a child dies, it can feel like everything is taken, your future, your identity, your sense of who you are. In this deeply honest conversation, Bruce and Kristin explore that raw reality, and then gently turn toward something many grieving parents eventually begin to notice, not what was taken, but what remains.

This episode sits in the tension between loss and love. It gives language to the feeling that death took everything, while also holding space for the truth that it didn’t take everything. The bond, the love, the influence of...

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In this episode, Natalie shares the story of her daughter Brooklyn, a joyful, imaginative little girl who filled every space with life.

Through heartfelt memories and honest reflection, we talk about sudden loss, the early days of shock and numbness, and what it means to keep living while grieving a child.

This conversation explores how joy and sorrow can exist together, and how love continues to show up in everyday moments.

If you’re walking this road, this is a reminder, there is no right way to grieve… only...

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In this episode, Bruce and Kristin reflect on the Academy Award winning documentary All the Empty Rooms, a film that quietly and honestly invites viewers into the sacred spaces left behind after the loss of a child.

Rather than offering answers or silver linings, the film simply bears witness, to bedrooms untouched, to memories preserved, and to the deep, ongoing connection between parents and their children.

Bruce and Kristin explore why the film’s simplicity is what makes it so impactful, how grief lives in physical spaces, and why there is...

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In Part 2, Bruce and Kristin continue their conversation about the shattered future that follows child loss. Together, they talk about the milestones that can hit without warning, birthdays, New Year’s, graduations, weddings, and the quiet moments that remind grieving parents of all that was lost.

They also speak candidly about resentment, remembrance, and the deep longing to have their children’s lives acknowledged by others. This episode is a gentle but honest conversation about grief support, the lifelong nature of bereavement, and why it m...

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When a child dies, parents don’t just grieve the life that was lived, they grieve the life that was supposed to be.

In this episode, Bruce and Kristin talk about the invisible loss many bereaved parents carry: the future that shattered. From missed milestones and imagined grandchildren to the identities we thought we would grow into as parents, this conversation explores the quiet grief of the “what ifs” that often follow child loss.

Together they reflect on how memories, milestones, and imagined futures can bring both heartbreak and unexpected moment...

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In Part 3, Bruce and Kristin talk about what grieving parents often need most: to be seen, not fixed.

They explore why it matters when others say our child’s name, ask how they lived instead of how they died, and allow grief to be spoken out loud without trying to make it better.

This conversation touches on forever parenthood, the loneliness that can come from society’s invisible grief timeline, and the permission to grieve for life, while still holding joy.

Because love didn’t end.
And neithe...

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In Part 2, we explore one of the quieter things time actually does: it distances us from support.

As the calls become fewer and the check-ins fade, it may begin to look from the outside like we’re coping… or even moving on. But grief is patient. And when it’s avoided, it waits.

Bruce and Kristin talk about the shift that happens after the early shock, from focusing on how our child died to the fear of forgetting how they lived. The sound of their voice. Their smell. Their quirks. The me...

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“Time heals all wounds.”

Most grieving parents have heard that phrase. Many of us have been hurt by it.

In part 1 of this 3-part series, Bruce and Kristin challenge the myth that time alone heals the loss of a child. This isn’t a scraped knee. It’s an amputation. Time doesn’t replace what was taken.

Grief evolves; it softens, shifts, and integrates, but it doesn’t expire. The love hasn’t diminished, so why would the grief?

Bruce shares about the landmines that still feel sharp yea...

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This conversation opens with a promise: we will talk about child loss with honesty, tenderness, and practical care. Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn outline the intention for Season 4 of Don’t Forget To Breathe: honest, compassionate discussions about child loss that replace clichés with clarity and care.

They outline episodes designed for parents in the earliest, raw weeks of grief, for those years down the road still carrying love and pain together, and for friends and family who want to support without causing harm. Together, they explore wha...

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As we launch this Season 4 conversation of Don’t Forget To Breathe, host Bruce Barker is joined by Kristin Glenn as they officially begin their journey together as co-hosts. This episode centers on a powerful truth shared by bereaved parents everywhere: “You get it.”

In part 1 of our conversation, Bruce and Kristin reflect on decades of life after child loss, exploring why shared understanding matters more than advice, and how grief can feel isolating even in a room full of people. They talk openly about the comfort of being in spaces where no exp...

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This episode of Don’t Forget To Breathe reflects on Season 3, a season focused on parents who have lost a child, life after child loss, long-term grief, and healing. Hosted by a grieving father, this recap honors the voices of bereaved parents who shared their stories of love, loss, and learning how to keep living while carrying grief.

Season 3 centered on conversations with mothers and fathers navigating parental grief years after losing a child. This recap is both a thank-you to the parents who bravely shared th...

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In this first half of a two-part conversation, host Bruce Barker talks with Kristin—one of the founders and former Executive Director of a Colorado nonprofit that supports grieving parents.

Kristin opens up about her child, her loss, and the early days of her grief journey. She reflects on how her pain transformed into compassion and why she dedicated herself to walking with families through unimaginable moments.

In this episode:
• The story of her child and the grief that followed
• The beginnings of her nonprofit work
•...

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In this first part of a two-episode conversation, host Bruce Barker sits down with Kristin, one of the founders and former Executive Director of a Colorado-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting families who have experienced child loss.

Kristin shares the early chapters of her grief journey and the deeply personal story that led her to create a safe haven for parents in their darkest moments. She reflects on her own loss, the compassion that shaped her work, and the emotional weight of walking alongside countless families over the years.

This...