Grieving Out Loud: A Mother Coping with Loss in the Opioid Epidemic

Angela Kennecke
  • 4.8 (116)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Grieving Out Loud: A Mother Coping with Loss in the Opioid Epidemic

Angela Kennecke is a journalist who lost her 21-year-old daughter Emily to fentanyl poisoning on May 16, 2018. Angela is "grieving out loud" to try to put an end to this epidemic by stopping the stigma and promoting the treatment of substance use disorder as the disease it is. Anyone coping with loss and looking for inspiration can benefit from listening to this podcast.

  1. Mother who lost son to fentanyl sits down with Vice President Harris

    1 DAY AGO

    Mother who lost son to fentanyl sits down with Vice President Harris

    Send us a textAfter losing her son Alec to fentanyl poisoning on his 26th birthday, Dita Bhargava has transformed her grief into action, becoming a powerful voice in the fight against fentanyl. She’s engaged in important conversations with political leaders across America, including Vice President Kamala Harris.On Overdose Awareness Day, Harris highlighted Dita’s story in her message about the opioid crisis, writing on Facebook: “We remember Tiarra, Jonathan, Alec, and millions of others who ...

    44 min
  2. 'Be Glad:' Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Gladys McGarey

    OCT 23

    'Be Glad:' Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Gladys McGarey

    Send us a textIn this special episode of Grieving Out Loud, we revisit a cherished conversation with Dr. Gladys McGarey, a trailblazer in holistic medicine who passed away on September 28th at the age of 103. Her wisdom transcended the medical field, emphasizing that love is the most powerful healing force.Dr. Gladys built her life around the five L’s: love, life, labor, laughter, and listening—with love as the cornerstone. Her message continues to inspire us to live with purpose and joy, reg...

    35 min
  3. Family's Double Tragedy: Father and daughter share loss of two to addiction

    OCT 16

    Family's Double Tragedy: Father and daughter share loss of two to addiction

    Send us a textImagine losing not only your mother, but also your twin sister to substance use disorder. On this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Cristina Cavallo and her father, Chris, share their deeply personal and heartbreaking story in hopes of raising awareness about a disease that touches millions yet is often left in the shadows. According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use, nearly 49 million Americans—almost 17% of the population—are struggling with substance use disorder.So why d...

    41 min
  4. What a mother wishes she knew before losing her son to fentanyl

    OCT 9

    What a mother wishes she knew before losing her son to fentanyl

    Send us a textAs a grieving mother who fought to get help for my daughter’s substance use disorder—and ultimately lost her to fentanyl—I’m often asked what advice I have, or what I wish I had done differently.Today on Grieving Out Loud, I sit down with another grieving mother at the DEA Family Summit on Fentanyl. Kate Sloan, like so many others, learned about the deadly reality of fentanyl far too late. She’s here to share her son’s story—his battle with substance use disorder—and the hard le...

    29 min
  5. Words of Wisdom: Surviving Grief

    SEP 30

    Words of Wisdom: Surviving Grief

    Send us a textIn this special episode of Grieving Out Loud, released for International Podcast Day, we deeply look at grief and its multifaceted nature. In our nearly 200 episodes, we’ve shared deeply personal stories from individuals navigating their own paths through loss, offering listeners a chance to find solace and understanding in shared experiences. As we reflect on the lessons gained from past episodes, we also consider the importance of community and connection in navigating th...

    55 min
  6. A mother's and grandmother’s grief over innocent lives lost in the drug epidemic

    SEP 25

    A mother's and grandmother’s grief over innocent lives lost in the drug epidemic

    Send us a textAs the United States faces its deadliest drug epidemic in history, lives are being lost in unimaginable ways. Over the past two decades, more than 5,000 children and teens have died from fentanyl—among them, toddlers and even infants.Janan Haugen knows these devastating numbers all too well. She’s lost not only her son to drugs, but also her granddaughter to drugs.In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Janan opens up about her emotional journey, the lessons she’s learned through ...

    30 min
  7. A family’s battle for justice in the fentanyl crisis

    SEP 18

    A family’s battle for justice in the fentanyl crisis

    Send us a textHans Arwine choked back tears as he recalled the moment he had to tell his wife that their son was gone. ”That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done–tell his mother that he was no longer with us,” he said.The heartbreaking scene is tragically familiar across America—parents receiving the devastating news that their children have died from fentanyl overdoses. In the United States, nearly 300 people lose their lives to drugs every day.Amidst this widespread grief, the dealers respo...

    29 min
  8. Family invited to the State of the Union to raise fentanyl awareness

    SEP 11

    Family invited to the State of the Union to raise fentanyl awareness

    Send us a textAn Iowa couple was invited to the State of the Union address for a reason they could have never imagined just a few years ago. Deric and Kathy Kidd were unaware of how lethal the illicit drug supply had become until the day they found their teenage son dead in his bedroom. He had taken half a pill, thinking it was Percocet, but it turned out to be a deadly dose of fentanyl.Now, the Kidds have made it their mission to raise awareness about the fentanyl epidemic and the growing me...

    37 min
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4.8
out of 5
116 Ratings

About

Angela Kennecke is a journalist who lost her 21-year-old daughter Emily to fentanyl poisoning on May 16, 2018. Angela is "grieving out loud" to try to put an end to this epidemic by stopping the stigma and promoting the treatment of substance use disorder as the disease it is. Anyone coping with loss and looking for inspiration can benefit from listening to this podcast.

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