The Broken Pack™: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of The Broken Pack™: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, Dr. Dean talks with Kate Chertik, a Pittsburgh woman navigating the devastating grief of losing her brother, Larry, to a fatal scooter accident caused by a city pothole. As a surviving sibling, Kate shares her raw emotions, the impact on her family, and how she turned her grief into advocacy for scooter safety. This episode explores the complexities of sibling loss, the importance of support systems for surviving siblings, and the power of turning tragedy into action.

In this episode you will:

• Hear Kate's powerful story of losing her best friend and brother in a tragic scooter accident has led to advocacy for scooter safety and creation of a support group for sibling loss survivors.
• Be inspired by Kate's resilience and unwavering commitment to honoring her brother's memory.

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

On this episode  of The Broken Pack™: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, Dr. Beth Hoffman, a surviving sibling, joins Dr. Dean to discuss the loss of her sister, Emily. Emily was tragically killed in a pedestrian accident. Dr. Hoffman shares how she navigates life as a sibling loss survivor following Emily's sudden death, including her experience in the ICU and honoring Emily's wish to be an organ donor. They discuss the complexities of sibling grief, the importance of normalizing conversations about loss, and the different ways people cope with the death of a sibling. Dr. Hoffman also discusses the challenges of navigating grief in a society that often avoids conversations about death and the importance of recognizing the different ways people experience and process loss.

About Dr. Beth Hoffman
Dr. Hoffman is a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, specializing in the intersection of popular media and health. Her work explores how television, social media, and other platforms can be used for health promotion and education, as well as the spread of health misinformation. She also teaches courses on community health and entertainment media.

More About Emily:
Caring Bridge - https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/emilycrew
Donor Tribute on UNOS - https://unos.org/donor_tributes/emily-hoffman/

Honoring Emily:
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh's Catio (in Emily's Honor)
Emily Johanna Hoffman Fund - supporting STEM & experiential learning programs,  and other Pittsburgh nonprofits .

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and to become a donor, please see:
In the US:
1. Donate Life America: https://donatelife.net
2. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) - https://unos.org/transplant/facts/
Globally:
https://tts.org/isodp-resources/isodp-organ-dona

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Your Heart’s Voice: A conversation about Sibling Loss , Intuition, and Living with Loss

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss,  host Dr. Angela Dean talks to Renée Green Murphy, author and surviving sibling, about losing her brother Robert in a tragic automobile accident. 

• Renée shares her experiences of grief from sibling loss and honoring Robert through her award-winning children's book, Your Heart's Voice.
• She describes the overwhelming grief, the unfathomable pain of sibling loss, and the emptiness she experienced after the sudden death of her beloved brother.
• Renée highlights the ways in which she has kept her brother's memory alive, including through his bartending videos and her own writing.

In the interview, through her work, and in the ongoing promotion of his work as The Crazy Bartender, Renée's love for and continuing bond with Robert is just as palpable as the pain of the loss.

Links mentioned in the show & How to connect with Renée:

Renée’s website: http://reneegreenemurphy.com

Renée’s Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorreneegreenemurphy?igsh=cHNlb3dsM216ZTA1

Her book, Your Heart’s Voice, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/isR17Un

Robert’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robgreeneofficial?igsh=MWRvaDVpMTZ0bzZzMA==

The Crazy Bartender YouTube: https://youtube.com/@crazybartenderofficial?si=jusoGH1CwIgnqT0M

Robert’s website: https://www.robgreene.com

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Sibling Loss Decades Later : A Heartfelt Conversation with Eric Grace

Surviving sibling Eric Grace shares his sibling loss experience of losing his brother, Kyle, in a tragic car accident over 25 years ago. Through his story, Dr. Dean and Eric explore the complexities of sibling loss, grief, and the lasting impact on surviving siblings.

Eric and Dr. Dean explore the impact his sibling loss has had on his life, views about death and living, his work in helping others , and his purpose in living.

To learn more about Eric, see the following:
Website: https://www.eric-grace.com
Instagram: @soulfulrelationships and @ericfgrace
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericfgrace
Clubhouse: The Wholly Human House at https://www.clubhouse.com/house/the-wholly-human-house-rrgxbbn5

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Sibling Loss and Organ Donation: A Conversation with Kelly Stiffler

In this episode, Dr. Dean speaks with Kelly Stiffler about losing her younger brother, Josh, from a seizure. Josh was an organ donor and Kelly shares how this loss has affected her and the family.  We also explore how different roles and relationships mean grieving the same person differently, including how she is grieving differently from her sister, Kate who we heard from in the first episode of this season.

Dr. Dean and Kelly discuss how therapy can be a valuable resource to process sibling loss and a safe and supportive space to talk about her grief. They also discuss the physical symptoms of grief, emotional exhaustion, and brain fog.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and to become a donor, please see:

In the US:
1. Donate Life America: https://donatelife.net

2. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) - https://unos.org/transplant/facts/

For a list of organ donation organizations and informationby regions in the world, please see https://tts.org/isodp-resources/isodp-organ-donation-societies

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Sibling Loss survivor and author, Linzi Meaden, shares What Suicide Left Behind

Linzi shares her story of losing her only sibling, her brother, Stuart, to suicide during the pandemic.  

• Linzi shares how writing in her journal led her to writing her book, What Suicide Left Behind: Navigating Your Own Grief Journey, to normalize grief from suicide loss and to help others feel less alone in their journeys.
• Linzi’s work as a trauma therapist has given her insights into the unique challenges faced by suicide survivors.
• Linzi has ensured that her children will know Uncle Stu and has found ways to honor him and her own continuing bond with him.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide.

If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines).

Support  our guest, Linzi Meaden:

• Instagram: linzi_meaden_suicide_grief
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatsuicideleftbehind
• Book on Amazon, “What Suicide Left Behind”: https://a.co/d/2ZphdZ1
• Website: https://linzimeaden.com/suicide-loss-support/

Li

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Jillian’s Sibling Loss Story: Unresolved Issues, Family Conflict, and the Loss of a Sibling to Suicide

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, surviving sibling Jillian Prouse, a mother and a teacher, shared her personal journey of grief and loss, highlighting the weight of unspoken words, the impact of suicide, and the need for support. Jillian discusses losing her brother, Brandon to suicide less than a year ago.  Her heartbreak and grief have been complicated by challenging family situations and her own pregnancy loss.

• Jillian emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding, and seeking help for those navigating this difficult experience of sibling loss.
• She shares how her grief for Brandon has been complicated and delayed due to multiple other primary and secondary losses as well as difficult circumstances that occurred prior to his death.
• Jillian’s experience with suicide loss and sibling loss highlights the unique challenges of grieving the loss of a sibling to suicide including a gamut of emotional experiences.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide.

If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines).

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Kassy’s Sibling Loss Story: Untimely, Unexpected, and Heartbreaking Circumstances

In this episode, Dr. Dean speaks with Kassy Bowes about losing her younger sister, Rheanna, due to abdominal sepsis as a complication from a medical intervention. Listen as Kassy shares how losing her 19-year-old sister , Rheanna, shattered her world, challenged her beliefs in the afterlife, and how finding connection with Rheanna has helped her move with her grief.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of substance use, mental health stigma, and abortion.

If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.

If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines)

DISCLAIMER FOR THIS EPISODE

The Broken Pack exists to provide a platform for adult survivors of sibling loss to share their stories and to be heard. The views expressed by guest are those of the guest speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast host or the Broken Pack organization.

The Broken Pack acknowledges that the topic of abortion is polarizing and understands that different individuals hold varying viewpoints on the issue. The podcast host does emphasizes that the purpose of the episode is to focus on the guest speaker's experience as a sibling loss survivor. 

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Sibling Loss Due to Brain Cancer:  Chris's Anticipatory Grief, Continuing Bonds, and Legacy-Building 

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss,  Dr. Dean speaks with surviving sibling Dr. Chris Ban, an oral surgeon and Jeopardy champion, who opens up about the anticipatory grief of and profound grief after losing his brother Michael to astrocytoma.

Listen as Chris shares how learning to grieve his brother for the duration of his illness and after his death has affected him and how Chris maintains continuing bonds with Michael from music, sports, the arts, and even on Jeopardy.

Drs. Ban and Dean discuss how sibling loss survivors in general and men, in particular, may find it difficult to talk about their grief, but that it is important to overcome this stigma and disenfranchisement and reach out for support.

For more information on:
Chris's Jeopardy appearance, honoring his brother: https://www.tvinsider.com/1097578/jeopardy-champion-chris-ban-brother-cancer/

Michael McNaughton Ban Memorial Fund - https://pittsburghfoundation.org/michaelmcnaughtonban

The Michael McNaughton Ban Memorial Boathouse- https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/51b65f93-0d02-48bc-8377-728a8ffd25a2

For a book for children about being in the hospital, written by Chris's brother Michael, please see https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-at-Hospital-Michael-Ban/dp/1645438910

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Sibling Loss and Organ Donation: A Conversation with Katie Kuehn

In this episode, Dr. Angela Dean explores sibling loss and organ donation with Katie Kuehn, who lost her brother Josh to a seizure. Josh was an organ donor, and Katie shares how his decision to give life to others has impacted her family and the importance of organ donation. She also vulnerably shares the impact that his gift of life to others has made upon her. 

Katie and Dr. Dean  also delve into the challenges and opportunities of being a surviving sibling,  how the unique role that siblings play in each other's lives,  how their absence can create a void that is difficult to fill, and how different roles and relationships mean grieving the same person differently, including her sister, Kelly, who is interviewed in episode 6 of this season.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and to become a donor, please see:

In the US:
1. Donate Life America: https://donatelife.net
2. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) - https://unos.org/transplant/facts/

For a list of organ donation organizations and information by regions in the world, please see https://tts.org/isodp-resources/isodp-organ-donation-societies

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/newsletter

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46