Explore every episode of the podcast Dying Out Loud Podcast

Kris Saim shares a letter he originally planned to hold onto until he entered hospice care. It is a letter of boundless gratitude written to his "Gs,” his community of nearly 800 colleagues at Gale. Instead of saving his final words for the end, Kris is choosing to speak them out loud today, while the people who earned them can actually hear them.

Kris opens up about the first six months following his stage four cancer diagnosis, a period of profound darkness and depression where he wasn't sure he could go on. He shares the unexpected lifeline that pulled him back: returning to work.

In this episode, Kris explores:

• The Medicine of Meaning: Why work wasn't a distraction, but a human-centered reason to keep showing up and contributing.
• The Power of Presence: How the Gale community created psychological safety by treating him as a full human being, holding space for him on his hardest days.
• The Illusion of "Later": Why we need to stop saving our deepest gratitude for goodbyes and start saying the true thing today.
• The Unsent Letter: Kris reads his heartfelt tribute to the colleagues who gave him the best, most meaningful years of his professional life.

This episode is a testament to what happens when a workplace becomes a true community. It leaves us with one simple, life-changing ask: think of someone who might be carrying something heavy, reach out, and tell them you see them.

Welcome to Dying Out Loud. Today’s episode is unlike any we have ever recorded. There is no guest, no interview, and no holding back.

Today, host Kris Saim reads a letter to his younger self—the boy who carried a secret so heavy he felt like the world had agreed to look away. For the first time in a public space, Kris is telling the whole truth about who he is and where he came from.

In this profoundly vulnerable episode, Kris breaks a silence he has kept for nearly his entire life. He shares his story of surviving childhood sexual abuse from the age of four, the terror of growing up in a church that told him his identity was a sin, and the exhausting performance of living an unauthentic life until he finally came out at 31 years old.

This episode explores:

• The Weight of Silence: How the secrets we keep to survive eventually become the walls that isolate us.
• Reframing Resilience: Why resilience isn't the absence of damage, but the stubborn decision to keep going anyway.
• The Danger of "Moving On": Why forward motion without acknowledgement is just running—and why your younger self deserves to be seen.
• The Unsent Letter: Kris shares his raw, heartbreaking, and ultimately empowering letter to the boy who bent, but did not break.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like the truest version of themselves had to stay hidden. You are not broken. You are not damned. And you are not alone.

(Please Note: This episode contains frank discussions of childhood sexual abuse, religious trauma, and body dysmorphia. Please prioritize your well-being and listen with care.)

In this profound solo episode, Kris Saim reads a letter to someone who was once his closest friend. She was there for the best chapters of his life—from meeting at a swim-up bar in Cancun to wandering the streets of Paris and Amsterdam—but was absent when he received his terminal cancer diagnosis. For years, Kris held onto the pain of that quiet drift. It wasn't until he learned she had lost her father to the exact same disease shortly after they stopped speaking that the silence finally made a heartbreaking kind of sense.

Sitting in a hospital infusion chair with nowhere to hide, Kris finally asked himself the only question that matters: What is holding onto this costing me?.

Today’s episode is a little different. There is no guest and no co-host—just Kris and a microphone, pulling back the curtain on what it really looks like to live and eventually die with stage four colon cancer. We are trained our whole lives to avoid talking about death, treating it like a taboo subject. We talk about the weather, we talk about test results, but we rarely touch on the real fears sitting in the silence between us.

In this episode, Kris takes 10 of the most common "forbidden" questions people want to ask someone who is dying, but don't.

Every once in a lifetime, if you are lucky, you encounter a teacher who doesn't just teach a subject—they teach you who you are. For Kris, that teacher was Kathie McCormally. Entering a tight-knit rural high school as a freshman trying to figure himself out, Kris found a safe haven in Mrs. McCormally's drama class.

In this profoundly moving episode, Kris sits down with his favorite teacher to say the "thank you" he has held onto for over three decades.

In this episode, Kris and Kathie explore:

• The Sanctuary of the Stage: How the drama classroom became a safe space for an outsider to find his voice, build confidence, and learn to exist authentically.
• Seeing the Unseen: How a great teacher can spot your potential and your true self long before you have the language to understand it yourself.
• A Legacy of Empathy: Kris shares how the lessons learned in Mrs. McCormally's class directly influenced his career, his parenting, and his recent company-wide recognition for how he shows up for others.
• The Letter: Grab a tissue as Kris reads a beautifully raw letter to Mrs. McCormally, thanking her for planting the seeds of authenticity that would bloom decades later.

If there is a teacher who changed the trajectory of your life, let this episode be the catalyst that encourages you to reach out and tell them.

Welcome back to Dying Out Loud Podcast. This week’s episode takes us on a journey back to the beginning of a 30-year friendship. Kris is joined by Jenne Schwinn to discuss the messy, traumatic, and ultimately beautiful reality of growing up together.

Entering a small-town high school where all 34 other students had known each other since kindergarten, Kris and Jenne found themselves as the two ultimate outsiders. What started as a trauma bond to survive the daily drama of high school cliques quickly evolved into a zero-friction, lifelong connection.

In this episode, Kris and Jenne explore:

• The Reality of Rural High Schools: Navigating the bullying and isolation of stepping into a school where everyone’s friend groups are already set in stone.
• Finding Safe Havens: From the sanctuary of drama class with Mrs. McCormick and Mrs. Thomas to memorable KU basketball games hunting down Scooter Berry's autograph.
• Healing Old Wounds: Jenne shares an incredible, serendipitous story about receiving an unexpected apology from her childhood bully years later.
• The Letters: Kris reads an emotional letter thanking Jenne for loving every version of him, and Jenne fights through tears to share her own profound gratitude for Kris’s strength, his battle with cancer, and his beautiful marriage to Anthony.

This episode is a reminder that the greatest gift in life isn't the quantity of people you know, but the ones who met you when you were brand new and never stopped choosing you.

In this tender and powerful episode of Dying Out Loud, host Kristopher Saim welcomes back his dear friend and grief coach, Jen Ripa, creator of Thrivologie and the "Creative Cocoon."

Jen shares her profound personal journey of loss—first the death of her 16-year-old son, Oliver, to cancer, followed four years later by the passing of her husband of 25 years. Together, Kris and Jen explore how to move through the darkness of grief not by "fixing" it, but by holding it with compassion and using expressive arts to process what words often cannot.

Kris opens up about his own battle with Stage 4 cancer, sharing a raw realization about grieving the loss of his own future and the relationship he wishes he had more time to nurture. Together, they dismantle "grief hierarchies" and discuss how community and creativity can help us carry the weight of loss without being crushed by it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Origin of the Creative Cocoon: How Jen turned her personal survival tools—yoga, meditation, and art—into a safe harbor for others navigating loss.
• The 3 Signs of Healing: Jen breaks down the benchmarks of healing, including the moment you realize grief no longer "owns" you and the ability to remember your person with more love than pain.
• Breaking the Isolation: Why grief heals better in community and the danger of wearing the "I’m fine" mask.
• Art for Non-Artists: Why you don’t need to be a skilled painter or writer to use creativity as a tool for emotional release.
• Anticipatory Grief: Kris shares his vulnerable experience of grieving his own life and the "loss of a future" while still being present today.

Quote of the Week: "We know our grief is healing when it no longer owns us... It’s not that the grief gets smaller, it’s that we build this big life around it." — Jen Ripa

Resources Mentioned:

• Guest Website: Thrivologie.com

In the Season 2 premiere, Kris shared a love letter to the man who saved him. In this deeply personal, unscripted follow-up, Anthony writes back.

Caught completely by surprise, Kris listens as Anthony reads a letter that pieces his own heart back together. He reflects on the "gray" world he lived in before they met, isolated, depressed, and directionless during the height of the pandemic, and how Kris became a sudden "burst of color" that woke him up.

But this episode is more than just a look back at their love story; it is a courageous look at the uncertain road ahead. Anthony directly addresses Kris’s deepest fear, leaving him and the children behind. With vulnerable honesty, he offers the ultimate reassurance: that he, Zoey, and Bailey will survive, not because the loss won't be hard, but because Kris has "loved us enough for a lifetime".

Join us for a raw, tender moment of "Dying Out Loud," where we are reminded that home isn't a place, but a person. Let this episode be your sign to say the words you need to say today, so you never have to wonder if your loved ones know how deeply they are held.

Welcome to Season 2 of Dying Out Loud. If Season 1 was about saying goodbye, this season is all about how we keep living anyway.

In this deeply personal season opener, Kris is joined by the man who knows him best—his husband and producer, Anthony Saim. Together, they navigate a conversation that is vulnerable, honest, and intentionally designed to break your heart open.

In this episode:

The Health Update: Kris announces his difficult decision to terminate chemotherapy after three and a half years of treatment, choosing to reclaim the person he was rather than continuing to wither away in a hospital bed. A Pandemic Love Story: The couple reminisces on meeting during the uncertainty of COVID-19, from a "hot daddy" Tinder profile to a quick move-in that changed their lives forever. Choosing Life: Anthony and Kris discuss their recent "yacht club" cruise experience and the peace found in choosing memories and travel over medical schedules. The Letter: Towards the end of the episode, Kris reads a letter he wrote to Anthony while sitting in the chemo chair—a testament to finding your "one true love" later in life and the beauty of being fully chosen.

This episode is a reminder that even when time is short, love is always worth the risk. If you are listening and you love someone deeply, this is your sign to tell them

While the Dying Out Loud Podcast team is on a short break, we are re-releasing our most streamed episode of 2025, a conversation that clearly struck a chord with all of you. In this deeply personal episode, Kris sits down with his close friend and colleague, Jesse Perez.

Jesse opens up about the heartbreaking loss of his best friend, Kendra, to throat cancer and shares his biggest regret: allowing "life" to get in the way of their friendship for five years before her diagnosis. Together, Kris and Jesse discuss the power of authentic friendship, how to stop "tiptoeing" around a cancer diagnosis , and why sometimes a simple meme can mean more than a grand gesture. This episode is your invitation to pick up the phone, send the text, and "say the damn thing" today.

In this special holiday release of Dying Out Loud, Kristopher reunites with Mandi Botic, a friend whose loyalty has spanned nearly 20 years and multiple zip codes, from Kansas City to New York and LA.

For the first time in three years, Kristopher and Mandi see each other face-to-face. Together, they take a trip down memory lane, revisiting the "trauma bond" that started it all, wild nights at Missy B’s, and the infamous taxi ride they’ll never forget.

Listen in as Kristopher reads a moving letter to Mandi, thanking her for being a steady presence through life’s biggest transitions. With a real-life reunion planned for this Christmas, this episode is a beautiful reminder that true friendship defies distance.

Key Takeaway: The holidays are the perfect time to reach out. Don't let time or distance stop you from reconnecting.

Kris welcomes his longtime friend Nickie Gibbs to discuss how a workplace friendship turned into a decade-long bond that helped him survive his first cancer diagnosis. They discuss:

• The "Platform" Days: How high-stress jobs forged a family-like bond.
• Servant Leadership: Lessons on leading with heart in business and life.
• Showing Up: Why effort is the secret ingredient to long-distance friendship.
• The Letter: Kris reads a personal letter of gratitude to Nickie.

Challenge: After listening, text that friend you haven't spoken to in a while and tell them you love them.

Host Kris sits down with Dr. Rebecca Lee for an open conversation about creative partnership, friendship, and overcoming imposter syndrome in the workplace. They share their journey from colleagues to close collaborators, offering insights on mutual coaching, the importance of connection, and the courage it takes to grow both personally and professionally.

In this deeply personal episode of Dying Out Loud, Kris sits down with men’s coach and speaker Deano Sutter for a conversation about the profound, often invisible impact we have on one another. Kris reveals a moment from years ago—a simple one-hour consultation regarding a men's coaching group—that Deano doesn't even remember, but which fundamentally altered the trajectory of Kris’s life and career.

Together, they explore the concept of the "ripple effect," discussing how brief interactions can plant seeds that grow into life-changing purpose. Deano shares his own journey of self-discovery, moving from a youth pastor struggling with self-worth and sexuality to a coach who helps others rewrite their "outdated programs" for survival. They also dive into a powerful reframing of mortality, with Deano sharing the beautiful lessons he learned while caring for his mother during her final days, viewing death not as a tragedy, but as a meaningful transition.

In this episode of Dying Out Loud, host Kristopher Saim sits down with Tracy Kreikemeier, a woman who has played the dual roles of cherished friend and professional mentor in his life. Their story began through mutual friends, Fritz and Holly, but deepened during their time working together at Platform Advertising, where Tracy served as Kris's supervisor.

Kris and Tracy take a nostalgic walk down memory lane, revisiting the "work hard, play hard" era of their friendship—from wine and charcuterie nights to dancing in the basement of the Brookside. Beyond the laughter, they dive deep into the lessons Tracy imparted regarding executive presence, the importance of vulnerability, and the art of building genuine relationships.

This episode of "Dying Out Loud" celebrates a "human first type of leadership" that transcends titles. Host Kris is joined by Luana Pereira, a leader he has been fortunate to work with for several years.

When Kris was navigating his stage four cancer diagnosis , he was in an incredibly "vulnerable state". Luana's "steady presence" , advocacy, and commitment to him as a person created the space and support for him to thrive in the midst of his diagnosis—something he "never thought was possible".

Luana shares her own powerful journey of moving from Brazil to the U.S. without speaking English and how it shaped her leadership philosophy. She discusses why she believes the separation between your work self and your personal self is a "big lie" and why leaders must connect with their people's "why" to unlock their potential.

Kris and Luana discuss the importance of showing up authentically , the "Working with Cancer" initiative they helped champion , and how the support he received at work has been the "best medicine" and, in his view, "extended my life".

The conversation culminates in a powerful moment as Kris reads a letter of gratitude he wrote to Luana during his treatment , thanking her for making him feel "like I still belong".

This episode is a masterclass in authentic leadership and a moving testament to the impact one person can have on another's life.

In this reflective and empowering episode , Kris Saim connects with Michael Platt, founder and former CEO of Platform Advertising and a prolific voice in higher education advertising. This conversation dives deep into the profound influence Michael had on Kris’s career, shaping his view of leadership, business growth, and balance in life.

Michael shares his motivation for starting Platform: creating impact by developing people, not just serving clients. He reveals the success of the company's robust mentoring program, which fostered a culture where everyone was a mentee, and three-quarters were mentors.

Kris shares his gratitude for Michael's consistency, wisdom, and generosity , reminding listeners to reach out to their own mentors to say thank you and share the impact they've had.

This incredibly personal and strategic episode features Kris Saim and former manager Kevin Doyle, exploring the journey from coach to team member and the transformational power of leadership grounded in trust and profound investment. Kris shares how Kevin and his team not only adapted his role following a Stage IV diagnosis but actively fueled his professional evolution, giving him the space and resources to master new skills.

This story is a powerful testament to human-centered leadership, featuring the exceptional investment Kevin made by taking Kris through a university-level class in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Kevin offers advice to other leaders, emphasizing the need to focus on helping people find their motivation by identifying and building upon their "superpower," like Kris's expertise in relationship building.

Listen in to discover how focusing on joy and growth at work became "medicinal" for Kris, proving that the most powerful leaders walk beside you, investing in you even before you can believe in yourself.

This episode highlights a powerful truth: sometimes, the most sacred connections sneak up on you and change everything. Kris Saim welcomes Celina Goddard to explore their journey from a routine professional coaching session into a deep and reciprocal friendship.

This conversation is a masterclass in how leadership principles transform into genuine human connection. Kris discusses how Celina’s consistent encouragement and strategic wisdom provided powerful support through his cancer journey and inspired him to lean fully into his purpose. Celina shares her perspective on the relationship, describing Kris as someone who "exuded potential" and helped her realize the importance of operating from a place of "overflow"—giving from a full cup, not from scarcity.

Listen in to discover:

• How to harness time and live with intention in your daily life.

• The power of showing up as your "whole self" at work, blurring the lines between professional and personal life in a healthy, meaningful way.

• Why authenticity is the foundation of professional success and effortless flow.

As Celina beautifully advises, "Lead with love. If you get that shot in the dark moment... send the damn letter". This episode is an encouraging reminder that your people are out there and true connection is a gift.

In one of the most personal episodes of Dying Out Loud, Kris Saim welcomes his cousin and oncologist, Dr. Jeff Edenfield, for a reflective stroll down memory lane that progresses from childhood pool days to the present reality of a Stage IV cancer journey. This conversation explores the enduring strength of family connections, the profound impact of shared history, and the unique dynamic of having a loved one also serve as a medical professional. Dr. Edenfield shares his perspective on the human element of oncology—how he strives to be a support, not an intruder, in his patients' lives, and how his personal connection to Kris has influenced his approach to patient care. Kris opens up about the solitude of his initial diagnosis and how he overcame his fear of death by leaning into the love and support of his family, choosing to live the last three years with purposeful joy. Dr. Edenfield offers powerful, empathetic advice for anyone supporting a loved one with cancer: "Just acknowledge the powerful aspect of silence... Try not to make the topic of every conversation with someone you love who has cancer about the cancer." This episode is a beautiful reminder that family roots shape us across a lifetime, and love is a power that can transcend illness.

Host Kris Saim welcomes his old friends, Fritz and Holly Heffinger, owners of Out Cold Marketing, for a conversation spanning two decades. Their friendship began just after Kris came out, making them "some of the first people that didn't know me from before" when he was pretending to be someone he wasn't.

Kris shares that their immediate welcome, laid-back energy, and willingness to share their friends gave him a massive boost of confidence and created a community where he finally felt "at home".

Fritz and Holly, who recently sold their successful business, share their life philosophy: lead with kindness and authenticity. They offer a masterclass in relationship building, urging listeners: Don't wallow in sadness—take control of your life and take steps to change what you don't like. This episode is a powerful reminder that true friendship endures, and all it takes is a simple text message to rekindle a meaningful bond.

Host Kris Saim welcomes Danielle Ripley-Burgess, VP of Disease Awareness at Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) and a three-time colon cancer survivor. Their friendship began in Kris's ICU room, the day after he awoke from a three-day coma during his first diagnosis.

Danielle showed up with her heart wide open , sharing her story and truth to offer hope and permission to imagine a future. She explains how finding community (like The Colon Club) gave her purpose after being told at 17 she was "too young" and "rare".

This conversation is a profound tribute to the power of presence. Kris shares that Danielle was the catalyst who taught him that storytelling is necessary to live a fully authentic life , eventually leading him to start this podcast. They stress that the greatest gift you can give someone who is hurting is simply your presence , whether in silence or with an acknowledgement that their pain is recognized.

This episode honors a friendship born out of the highly unconventional world of professional bass fishing and the road trips of the early 2000s. Kris Saim welcomes his great friend Kelly Oettinger to discuss the lasting loyalty and acceptance that anchored Kris through major life moments, including his coming out.

Kris and Kelly reflect on a time in their lives when they were both searching for where they "slotted in the world", and how their mutual transparency and willingness to be vulnerable forged an immediate, genuine connection. Kelly describes Kris as incredibly kind, powerful, and a champion for people, expressing that she felt seen and understood by him early on.

This conversation is a powerful exploration of healthy adult relationships, reminding listeners that true friendship doesn't require constant contact but rather enduring value: "It doesn't change the value of them to you... that's the lifelong friendships you can't beat 'em". Kris shares how Kelly’s unconditional acceptance gave him a blueprint for self-love and what he should expect from every person in his life. The conversation closes with a thoughtful reflection on living authentically, using the awareness of our finite time

This episode highlights the profound value of meaningful relationships that start at work and evolve into something more. Kris Saim welcomes Ben James, a colleague and Chief Innovation Officer, whose consistent presence, laughter, and coaching conversations have become a grounding rhythm in Kris's life.

Ben models the kind of intentional leadership that believes in making time for human connection in a fast-paced professional world. He reveals that his strategy is to create "parking lot time" with colleagues—the space outside the formal meeting—which instantly builds the trust needed for genuine collaboration. Kris shares how Ben’s example of patience and resilience through pressure and complexity has actually made him a braver person. Their weekly chats exemplify how creating a safe space for dialogue leads to breakthroughs that are not only fulfilling but also lucrative.

Ben offers practical advice for cultivating deep relationships: "Sometimes you gotta ignore the hard stop. Just go ahead and like, let the next thing go to spend time with the people that you're with." This episode is a powerful reminder that the people who show up for you quietly and consistently are the ones who change you, and that making space for that connection is the hugest source of joy.

Host Kris Saim welcomes his "adopted sister," Amy Kruse, to celebrate a 30-plus year friendship that began on a retail sales floor and evolved into a sacred "chosen family" bond.

Kris and Amy reflect on their history as each other’s anchors through love, loss (including the deaths of their fathers), and professional pivots. Amy recounts being one of the first people Kris came out to, and how her mother became a "surrogate mother" to Kris.

They tackle the urgent question: How do you avoid obsessing over time lost when you find your life partner "so late in life"? Kris shares his philosophy: focus on the "firsts," make the most of every day, and be prepared for the future. He reveals his emotional breakthrough, realizing he is no longer scared, having survived childhood bullying, so he can handle his health. This is a tribute to the "history keepers" who know us fully and love us anyway.

This is the episode closest to host Kris Saim's heart. Kris sits down with his "greatest teachers and proudest legacy", his children Kennedy and Jakob, for a raw conversation about family, forgiveness, and life lessons.

They reflect on the challenges they survived together; divorce, Kris’s journey of coming out, and subsequent reinvention. Kris shares the letter he wrote, delivering a long-held confession: "I know I wasn't always the father that you both deserved... I was young, I was afraid, and I was selfish at times".

The family discusses core memories (from dancing to Shakira to the chaos of the "corn" scream ) and the wisdom the children gained, becoming "exceptional parents" who love fiercely and openly. They answer the central question: If Kris could do one thing earlier, what would it have been? He answers, "I would've come out earlier".

This conversation is for every parent who needs to know their kids are okay and for every child waiting to hear the words that matter most. Legacy isn't built from things or titles, it's built from love and presence.

Host Kris Saim welcomes his colleague and friend, Julia Laszlo, founder of Ananda Experience and a human-centered leadership coach. Julia shares her journey from climbing the corporate ladder to burnout, prompting her to question the very definition of success she pursued.

Kris and Julia’s friendship, which began with Kris’s immediate vulnerability about his cancer diagnosis , is living proof that you can combine humanity and getting results at work. They dive into why nurturing friendships at work is "priceless" and how Julia’s support helped Kris avoid spiraling during his hardest moments.

Julia reminds us: "words have power". She attributes Kris's journey toward being "cancer free" to the positive, affirming words that come out of his mouth. This episode is a powerful message for leaders and anyone who feels a disconnect between their paper success and their inner life: don't be afraid to be yourself, because that is your strongest skill.

Host Kris Saim celebrates a friendship that has endured and evolved for nearly three decades with his "great pal," Jaime O'Brien.

Their story is a powerful exploration of loyalty and meaningful reconnection. Kris and Jaime discuss how their paths continually wove back together: from Kris being Jaime’s empowering boss to Kris becoming Jaime's realtor , and now, as peers leading a professional Mastermind group.

They reflect on wild memories—from covering the "NASCAR for bass fishermen" FLW tour to chaotic late-night taxi rides and an unexpected trip to the ER.

The core lesson is clear: Time doesn't have to dilute friendship; it can make it stronger. Jaime urges listeners: "Don't put off reconnecting with somebody... it's never too late to just reconnect". This episode is proof that the best relationships keep showing up, no matter how uncomfortable the roads become.

Host Kris Saim sits down with his friend and colleague, Jesse Perez, for a conversation that cuts straight to the mission of Dying Out Loud. Jesse shares the story of losing his dear friend, Kendra Kates, to throat cancer , and discusses the pain of his "biggest regret" : the years their friendship drifted apart before her diagnosis brought them back together.

Jesse, a DEI professional, was one of the first people Kris felt truly safe with after returning to work with a stage four cancer diagnosis. Jesse recounts how Kris taught him to have honest conversations about illness, prompting them to "comfortably talk about cancer without tiptoeing around it".

This episode is a powerful invitation to action: "Pick up the phone, text them, call them". Don't allow yourself to be in a position where you question, “Should I have done this?”. Jesse cherishes Kendra's final message to him—a meme telling him he was doing amazing . Learn how to create those cherished moments today.

Host Kris Saim sits down with his "great pal and fellow coach," Jen Ripa, for a conversation about the soul-deep friendship they forged later in life through a shared understanding of grief.

Jen, a mother of four, shares the profound grief of losing her son, Oliver, to bone cancer and her husband to addiction. This journey led her to found Thrivologie , a company dedicated to helping people use their difficult experiences as a catalyst for becoming "an even more incredible person" and building their life from the ground up.

Kris and Jen discuss how their coaching sessions became safe spaces for sharing raw vulnerability and shedding tears. Jen recounts the power of Kris's support, which made her feel like she was "never too much".

This episode is a beautiful invitation: "We always get to choose who we let walk through it with us". Learn how to tap into your "inner fire", find unconditional support, and embrace your own worth.

In one of the most emotional and important conversations of his life, host Kris Saim sits down with his mother, Sharon Saim. This is the conversation every parent and child dreads, and the one that matters most.

Kris asks his mom the question at the very heart of their family's journey: "What's it like watching your child walk through a cancer diagnosis?".

Sharon’s answer is a raw, honest look at a mother's love—the worry , the faith , and the heartbreaking, universal wish: "If mothers could cure their children... there would be no cancer". She shares her powerful feeling: "If I could take it from you, I would".

The episode culminates in Kris’s moving, prepared message of gratitude to his mom, thanking her for being his "steady, unshakeable heart" and the "blueprint" for how he tries to love others. This is a beautiful, tear-filled testament to unconditional love and the "armor" it provides.

In this profoundly personal episode, host Kris Saim sits down with one of his closest friends, Alicia Botyrius. Their friendship was forged at work , but it was cemented during one of the darkest times in Kris's life: a difficult divorce that left him "spiraling out of control".

While others might have stepped away, Alicia "stayed close" and "sat in the mess" with him. More than just listening, she gave him tangible life skills—including meditation, tapping, and the art of intentional breathing—that became the tools he used to rebuild his life.

The conversation takes an emotional turn when Alicia asks Kris a question she's held for years: "Where do you get your bravery from?". Kris shares a raw, honest answer tracing his resilience back to his childhood surviving as a gay kid in a small Kansas town. This is a moving testament to the friends who become our anchors and a reminder to "always assume the best" in those you love.

In the powerful inaugural episode of Dying Out Loud, host Kris Saim sits down with a guest who shares his exact diagnosis: stage four colon cancer. Guest Gina Jacobson, a leader of the global 'Working with Cancer' initiative , has outlived her initial prognosis by several years and is dedicated to helping others find purpose.

This isn't a conversation about "fighting" cancer. In fact, both Kris and Gina reject that language. Instead, this is a raw, heartfelt discussion about finding a new way to live, work, and lead. Gina shares her story of being diagnosed at the height of her career , her initial attempt to "achieve her way through cancer" , and the moment she realized she had to play an "impact game instead of a coverage game".

Discover the beautiful story behind "sending stars" as a way to ask for and receive support , and learn how the vulnerability of asking for help can become a "non-pill formed medicine" by allowing you to give support in return. This episode is a masterclass in post-traumatic growth and a powerful testament to living a joyful, purposeful life, even in the face of uncertainty.