Start here (if you’re in a rush) If your dad died and, rather than trying to address the gaping hole that was left, you put that on the shelf marked ‘things to figure out tomorrow’ along with ‘general home repairs’ and starting your new ‘fitness program’ (aka eating less hamburgers) You might be realizing that things start coming back to the surface that you weren’t ready for. You assume there’s time – to ask questions, to get things in order, or maybe just to say what needs to be said. Then it happens. And you realize how much wasn’t actually handled, which is a pretty brutal way to find out you were not, in fact, “on top of things.” We sat down with Blair and got into what that actually looks like, the diagnosis, the short timeline, and the moment it becomes clear your dad isn’t coming back. Then everything that follows, the logistics, the pressure, and the realization that you’re now responsible for things you have no idea how to handle, but will confidently pretend you do for at least a few weeks. We also get into what happens when you try to hold it together for too long, and what it looks like when your body shuts that plan down for you, usually at a very inconvenient time. If you’ve got a minute If you’re walking around thinking you should have been more prepared, you weren’t going to be. Most guys think they’ll be ready, you won’t be, and by the time it happens, you’re already behind, which is not a great feeling when the stakes suddenly get very real. Blair walks through it from the start, the diagnosis, how fast things moved, and the moment everything stops, and then the part no one explains. You’re trying to manage your family when you can’t even get home, sorting through finances, passwords, and paperwork that were technically “organized” in the sense that they exist somewhere, just not in any way that helps you. You keep going with work, life, responsibilities, and from the outside it looks fine, but underneath it starts to break, slowly, then all at once. Blair talks about what that looked like for him, pushing through, ignoring it, and then hitting a point where his body forced him to stop, not eating, burning out, and taking it out on the people around him, which is not the strategy anyone recommends but a lot of us try anyway. This is the part a lot of men don’t expect, you don’t fall apart right away, you hold it together until you can’t, which feels efficient right up until it isn’t. We get into what actually helps, finding one person you can talk to, letting yourself slow down, and figuring out how to carry your dad forward without letting it take you down with it. If your dad’s gone, or you know that day’s coming, this will help you understand what’s coming next and what to do when it shows up. In this episode you'll learn: - What actually hits after your dad dies - “I thought I had more time” and why it sticks - The stuff that isn’t handled when everyone says it is - Becoming “the guy in charge” without choosing it - Holding it together… until you don’t - When grief turns into work, control, or burnout - The moment you realize you can’t outrun it - Why one real conversation changes everything About Blair and his dad: Blair French lost his dad three years ago. His father, Bob, was an accountant. Steady. Practical. The kind of guy who didn’t need to be the center of attention, but held everything together. After a sudden cancer diagnosis, Blair had a short window before losing him. In this episode, he shares what that experience actually looked like and how it changed how he works, parents, and lives now. In this episode: 0:00 – You Thought You Had Time. You Didn’t. 2:30 – Why He Agreed to Talk About This At All 6:40 – Who His Dad Was (And Why That Matters Now) 12:10 – The Diagnosis That Changed Everything Overnight 18:20 – What His Dad Never Told Him 24:10 – The Morning He Died 30:00 – Getting the Call When You’re Not There 36:20 – When You’re Suddenly “In Charge” 42:10 – Everyone Says “It’s Handled.” It’s Not. 48:30 – Acting Normal at Work While You’re Not 55:10 – When It Finally Starts to Crack You 1:01:00 – The Moment You Realize You Can’t Outrun It 1:06:30 – What Actually Helped (Not What People Say Helps) 1:12:00 – What He’d Tell Any Guy Going Through This About Dead Dads Dead Dads is a podcast for guys figuring out life after losing their dad. It’s real conversations about grief, identity, and everything that comes after. You’re not alone. Follow + Connect Website: https://www.deaddadspodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@deaddadspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deaddadspodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ddadspod Substack: https://substack.com/@deaddadspodcast/notes New episodes every other week.