The Surviving Siblings®

Maya Roffler
  • 4.8 (56)
  • Mental Health
  • Weekly Series

Maya Roffler created The Surviving Siblings® after losing her brother Andreas to homicide in 2016 — a loss that changed her life forever. In the painful years that followed, she discovered what so many grieving siblings silently endure: while there are resources for parents who lose a child, support for surviving siblings is almost nonexistent. The grief of losing a brother or sister is profound, yet often invisible. This podcast was created to change that. Through honest storytelling, Maya shares her journey through sibling loss and invites other surviving siblings to share theirs. Together, they open up conversations about grief, love, healing, and hope — offering comfort to those navigating life after this unimaginable loss. Whether someone has lost a sibling or wants to support someone who has, The Surviving Siblings® is a safe space where grief is honored, love is remembered, and no one has to feel alone.

  1. Episode 1

    "Good Grief" With Lenny Hunt

    On Episode 1 of Season 10 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Lenny Hunt, a grief coach, life coach, bereaved father, and longtime advocate within the grief community, who shares the story of losing his two sons, Dawson and Devin, and how his own experience with devastating loss eventually led him to helping others learn how to carry their grief forward. This episode marks a first for The Surviving Siblings Podcast®. After nine seasons centered around the voices and experiences of bereaved siblings, Lenny joins Maya as the first guest who is not a surviving sibling himself. But as a father who lost two sons who were also brothers, and as someone who has spent years supporting grieving people—including surviving siblings—his perspective opens an important conversation about grief from another side of the family. Lenny takes us back to 2011, when Dawson was 12 and Devin was nine. What began as an ordinary father-son day spent geocaching became the day that changed everything. Dawson hadn't originally wanted to go, but Lenny and Devin convinced him to come along. After finding four geocaches together, they were driving home when Dawson thanked his dad for making him come, telling him he had actually had a really good time. Lenny turned around. They looked at each other. They smiled. Both Dawson and Devin died in the accident. Lenny and Maya explore how creative expression can become part of processing grief—whether through music, writing, art, podcasting, social media, or another outlet entirely. In This Episode: (0:00:00) – Welcome to Season 10 + Meet Lenny Hunt Maya opens Season 10 on the 10th anniversary year of her brother's death and introduces Lenny as the first non-surviving sibling guest on the podcast. (0:03:00) – Remembering Dawson + Devin Lenny introduces his sons, Dawson and Devin, and shares the story of the father-son geocaching day that would become one of their final memories together. (0:06:00) – The Accident That Changed Everything Lenny shares the quiet final exchange he had with Dawson moments before the vehicle accident that took both of his sons' lives. (0:08:00) – Is the First or Second Year of Grief Harder? Maya and Lenny discuss why grief timelines are deeply personal and why the reality of loss can sometimes become even more tangible in the years after the initial shock. (0:12:00) – Grief Counseling vs. Grief Coaching Lenny explains the difference between the two forms of support and how grief coaching can help someone begin looking toward what comes next. (0:15:00) – What Is "Good Grief"? Lenny introduces his approach to grief and explains how memories, stories, and meaningful moments can coexist alongside the pain of loss. (0:18:00) – Holding the Good + Hard at the Same Time Maya and Lenny discuss why finding moments of joy doesn't erase grief—and why grief doesn't have to mean abandoning every possibility of happiness. (0:22:00) – When You're Ready to Participate in Your Own Healing An honest conversation about readiness, reaching for support, and why grief coaching may not be the right tool for every person at every stage. (0:27:00) – Why Grief Isn't a "Journey" Lenny explains why he prefers to think of grief as an ongoing process of learning how to carry loss rather than a journey with a defined ending. (0:29:00) – Lenny's Life After Losing His Boys From leaving his former life behind to moving states, meeting his wife, and becoming part of a new family, Lenny shares pieces of the rebuilding that eventually followed his loss. (0:31:00) – The TikTok Video That Changed Everything How one vulnerable video about missing Dawson and Devin connected with other grieving people and showed Lenny that his voice could help others feel understood. (0:33:00) – Becoming a Grief Coach Lenny shares how his background as a pastor and teacher influenced his coaching style and why he uses analogies, activities, art, object lessons, and creative exercises in his grief work. (0:35:00) – The Good Grief Summit Lenny introduces the Good Grief Summit and its focus on helping people explore creative, healthy ways to process and express loss. (0:37:00) – Creativity as a Tool for Grief From Maya's podcasting to music, writing, storytelling, and social media, Maya and Lenny discuss how creating something can become both an outlet for grief and a way of honoring the person who died.   Connect with Lenny: Good Grief Summit: https://the-good-grief-group.circle.so/goodgriefsummit2026 Coaching with Lenny: https://lennyhuntcoaching.com/ The Good Grief Group: https://lennyhuntcoaching.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelennyhunt Connect with Maya: Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivingsiblingspodcast/ Maya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@survivingsiblingspodcast Twitter/X: https://x.com/survivingsibpod Website: https://www.thesurvivingsiblings.com Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesurvivingsiblingspodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/thesurvivingsiblingspodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast

  2. Episode 2

    Sharing A Birthday After Sibling Loss

    On Episode 2 of Season 10, In this special episode of The Surviving Siblings® Podcast, host Maya Roffler sits down to reflect on one of the most emotionally complicated milestones she has faced since losing her brother Andreas: turning 40 while approaching the 10th anniversary of his death. But Maya's birthday carries another layer that makes this milestone especially significant. Maya and Andreas shared the same birthday. They weren't twins. They were three years apart, born on the exact same day after remarkably even sharing the same due date. For most of Maya's life, her birthday was never entirely hers—it belonged to both of them. Now, Maya continues getting older while Andreas remains forever 27. As she prepares to turn 40, Maya opens up about what it feels like to enter an entirely new decade of her life without her brother physically here to experience it with her. She shares why birthdays have often become even more difficult for her than Andreas' death anniversary, how milestone years can unexpectedly bring grief back to the surface, and why no two birthdays—or grief anniversaries—feel exactly the same. Turning 40 carries an additional emotional weight because Maya's last milestone birthday was her 30th. Exactly two months later, Andreas was murdered. The conversation also goes beyond Andreas' physical absence and into one of the less-discussed realities of sibling loss: secondary loss within the family. Maya also discusses the difference between "moving on" and "moving forward"—a distinction that has become foundational to the way she talks about grief. For her 40th, she decided to travel to Thailand and Korea—a trip intentionally chosen both for herself and as a way to feel connected to Andreas. Andreas identified as Buddhist and had a deep interest in Asian culture, while his girlfriend was Korean. Maya shares why visiting Thailand, experiencing Buddhist temples, traveling through Korea, and exploring places she has always wanted to see felt like the right way to honor both of them during such an important year. So when a sibling's birthday, death anniversary, or another milestone arrives, the question doesn't necessarily have to be, "What would they want me to do?" It can also be: "What will make me feel close to them?" For Maya, sometimes that means traveling. This episode is an intimate reflection on birthdays after sibling loss, milestone grief, complicated family dynamics, continuing bonds, and what it really means to build a life that makes room for both the sibling who died and the person you are still becoming. In This Episode: (0:00:00) – A Special Birthday Episode + 10 Years Without Andreas Maya introduces this solo episode as she approaches both her 40th birthday and the 10th anniversary year of Andreas' homicide—and shares what makes their birthday particularly meaningful: they were born on the same day, three years apart. (0:03:00) – Why Some Birthdays Hit Harder Than Others Maya reflects on how grief changes from year to year and why milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and seemingly ordinary years can bring unexpected emotions to the surface. (0:08:00) – Turning 40 After What Happened At 30 Why this milestone birthday carries anxiety for Maya after Andreas was murdered exactly two months after she turned 30. (0:10:00) – Entering A New Decade Without Her Brother Maya reflects on the emotional realization that she physically knew Andreas throughout her 30s—but will now enter her 40s without him. (0:11:00) – Family Division + The Secondary Losses Of Grief Nearly a decade after Andreas' death, Maya opens up about ongoing family dysfunction, fractured relationships, and grieving the family closeness she once hoped would come from their loss. (0:13:00) – When Loss Doesn't Bring A Family Together Maya remembers asking her mother, as the family matriarch, whether Andreas' death would tear their family further apart or become an opportunity to come together—and reflects on the heartbreak of how differently things unfolded. (0:16:00) – Moving Forward Is Not Moving On Maya explains why she will never "move on" from Andreas but believes deeply that surviving siblings can learn how to move forward while continuing to carry their sibling with them. (0:22:00) – Finding The Support That Works For You From therapy and grief coaching to support groups and community, Maya encourages surviving siblings to explore the tools that can help them build a future and learn how to carry their grief. (0:24:00) – Holding Pain + Joy At The Same Time One of Maya's biggest lessons from grief: sadness and happiness, laughter and pain, missing someone and continuing to live can all exist simultaneously. (0:26:00) – Grieving The Family You Thought You Would Have Maya discusses accepting where family relationships are today, preserving her own peace, and releasing the expectation that everyone will eventually grieve or heal together. (0:28:00) – Why Maya Chose Thailand + Korea For Her 40th Maya shares the meaning behind her milestone birthday trip and how Andreas' spirituality, interests, relationships, and love of travel influenced her decision. (0:30:00) – Who Are Our Grief Rituals Really For? Maya explores the mindset shift that changed the way she approaches birthdays and anniversaries: honoring your sibling can also mean creating an experience that helps you feel connected to them. (0:35:00) – Growing Older While Andreas Stays 27 Maya reflects on the strange reality of once being only three years older than her brother and now turning 40 while Andreas remains forever 27. (0:37:00) – Maya's Death Anniversary Ritual For Andreas From sunflowers and champagne to his favorite hometown food and time beside the creek where some of his ashes were scattered, Maya shares the traditions she has created to remain connected to her brother. (0:42:00) – The Story Behind Maya + Andreas' Shared Birthday From sharing the same due date and arriving two weeks late to childhood birthday parties and their physical similarities, Maya shares the details that make their shared birthday and bond so special to her. (0:44:00) – The Little Things That Keep Our Siblings Close Why Maya continues wearing her hair dark as a connection to Andreas and how seemingly small choices can become meaningful continuing bonds after sibling loss. (0:45:00) – Honoring Your Sibling In A Way That Honors You Too Maya closes by encouraging surviving siblings to find their own ways of approaching birthdays and anniversaries—not based on what they think they should do, but on what genuinely helps them feel close to their sibling. Connect with Maya: Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivingsiblingspodcast/ Maya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@survivingsiblingspodcast Twitter/X: https://x.com/survivingsibpod Website: https://www.thesurvivingsiblings.com Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesurvivingsiblingspodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/thesurvivingsiblingspodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast

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4.8
out of 5
56 Ratings

About

Maya Roffler created The Surviving Siblings® after losing her brother Andreas to homicide in 2016 — a loss that changed her life forever. In the painful years that followed, she discovered what so many grieving siblings silently endure: while there are resources for parents who lose a child, support for surviving siblings is almost nonexistent. The grief of losing a brother or sister is profound, yet often invisible. This podcast was created to change that. Through honest storytelling, Maya shares her journey through sibling loss and invites other surviving siblings to share theirs. Together, they open up conversations about grief, love, healing, and hope — offering comfort to those navigating life after this unimaginable loss. Whether someone has lost a sibling or wants to support someone who has, The Surviving Siblings® is a safe space where grief is honored, love is remembered, and no one has to feel alone.

Information

  • Creator
    Maya Roffler
  • Episodes
    98
  • Seasons
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Surviving Siblings®
  • Show Website
    The Surviving Siblings®

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