The P-I-G: Stories of Life, Love, Loss & Legacy

Kellie Straub & Erin Thomas
  • 5.0 (19)
  • RELATIONSHIPS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to The P-I-G, a podcast where we explore life, love, loss, and legacy through real conversations and meaningful stories—with Purpose, Intention, and Gratitude. Hosted by sisters, Kellie Straub and Erin Thomas, The P-I-G was born from the bond they shared with their late mother, Marsha—a woman whose life and love continue to inspire every story told. What began as a deeply personal project has since evolved into a growing legacy movement, including The Boxes, a developing film and television series inspired by the physical gifts their mother left behind—each one unwrapped at a defining life moment after her passing. At its heart, The P-I-G is about what matters most: connection. It’s a warm, welcoming space for open and honest conversations about the things we all carry—and the stories that shape who we are. While “loss” is often defined by death, our episodes explore a much broader truth: We grieve relationships, mobility, identity, careers, finances, health, pets, confidence, memory, belongings, faith—even entire versions of ourselves. Through personal reflections, powerful guest interviews, and expert insights, each episode invites you to consider what it means to live fully, love deeply, grieve honestly, and leave a legacy that matters. Whether you’re navigating a loss, rediscovering your voice, or simply craving deeper connection—you belong here. 💬 Favorite topics include: Grief and healing (in all its forms)Sibling stories and family dynamicsLove, marriage, caregiving, and motherhoodSpirituality, resilience, and personal growthLegacy storytelling and honoring those we’ve lost🎧 New episodes post every other week. Follow and share to help us spread the message that hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own and legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now. Hogs & Kisses, everyone. 💗🐷💗

  1. From Shedding to Strength: Cindy Hartzell on Trust, Trauma & the Fire Horse

    3D AGO

    From Shedding to Strength: Cindy Hartzell on Trust, Trauma & the Fire Horse

    Some conversations feel destined. In this powerful and deeply aligned episode of The P-I-G Podcast, we sit down with Cindy Hartzell—founder of Heart Soul Confidence-Based Horsemanship®, wild horse advocate, bestselling author, and co-host of The Holistic Horsemanship and Husbandry Podcast—to explore what happens when trauma forces us to rebuild trust from the ground up. Cindy shares her personal story of a life-changing accident with her beloved Palomino, RC—an experience that shattered her confidence and reshaped her understanding of leadership, fear, and healing. What followed was not just recovery, but a calling: to help women rebuild trust in themselves through partnership with horses. Together, we explore the deep synchronicities that brought our paths together, the sacred work of rescuing and protecting wild horses, and what it means to shed old identities—like the skin of the Snake—and step boldly into the Year of the Fire Horse with strength, passion, and clarity. This conversation is about more than horsemanship. It’s about trust. It’s about trauma. It’s about leadership that begins within. And it’s about choosing movement that comes from alignment—not urgency. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: Cindy’s accident and the healing journey that followedRebuilding trust after trauma—physically and emotionallyThe human-horse connection as a mirror for leadership and self-awarenessWild horse rescue and the importance of preserving freedomShedding the skin of old identitiesWhat the Fire Horse year invites us to embodyStepping into strength with hands firmly on the reinsWhether you love horses or have never touched one, this conversation will move you. Because at its heart, this episode is about reclaiming your confidence—and remembering the strength that was always there. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 33m
  2. The Rise Back: Tiffaney Childers on Suicide, Silence, and Healing

    FEB 4

    The Rise Back: Tiffaney Childers on Suicide, Silence, and Healing

    Some stories are hard to hear — but they are the ones that matter most. In this powerful episode of The P-I-G Podcast, we sit down with Tiffaney Childers, a suicide loss survivor, advocate, and founder of her local chapter of The LOSS Team, to explore what happens when grief is buried in silence — and what becomes possible when truth is finally spoken. Tiffaney shares her experience of losing both of her parents to suicide, followed by the sudden death of her father-in-law and the loss of her brother to pancreatic cancer — all while raising two young children and carrying the weight of trauma quietly for nearly two decades. What followed was not only emotional pain, but physical suffering: chronic pain that became her body’s way of holding what her voice could not yet release. Together, we talk about the long-term effects of suppressed grief, the stigma surrounding suicide loss, parenting through trauma, and the moment Tiffaney realized healing could no longer wait. She also shares how her journey led her to create meaningful support for others navigating loss — and why speaking openly about suicide saves lives. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: Surviving suicide loss and carrying it in silenceHow unprocessed grief can manifest physicallyParenting through trauma while honoring truthChronic pain, emotional suppression, and healingThe Rise Up Method and living forward with intentionWhy breaking the silence around suicide loss mattersThis may not be an easy listen — but it is a necessary one. A reminder that silence does not have to be the end of the story, and that healing begins when we allow ourselves to be seen, supported, and heard. Learn more about Tiffaney at: www.risesavage.com Connect on social: @tiffaneychilders (IG), /tiffaney.childers (FB) & /tiffaneychilders (LI). Purchase Tiffaney's book, "The Rise Back: Reclaiming Life After Suicide Loss, Pain, and Silence" on Amazon. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 19m
  3. From Roots to Ripples: Rearview Reflections, Hands on the Wheel

    JAN 21

    From Roots to Ripples: Rearview Reflections, Hands on the Wheel

    One year ago, we pressed record without fully understanding what this journey would ask of us — emotionally, creatively, relationally, and personally. What began as a heart-led project to honor our mom became something far bigger: a space for truth, reflection, reconnection, and growth — both for us and for our listeners. In this special "PJs & Pokey" sister chat, we slow down to reflect on Year One of The P-I-G Podcast — the conversations that moved us, the work we didn’t know we were signing up for, the losses we carried quietly while still showing up, and the unexpected relationships that reshaped our lives along the way. We talk openly about: How this podcast transformed our relationship as sistersWhat we learned through self-awareness, communication, and courageWhy our coaching work — and the creation of The P-I-G Relationship Reset (link)— became something we had to shareThe people who became family when we didn’t even know we needed themWhat it means to honor the past while keeping our hands firmly on the wheelThis episode also marks the launch of Roots & Ripples, a new reflective resource inspired by the very work we’ve been doing here — designed to help listeners pause, look back with clarity, and move forward with intention. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a breath. A reflection. And an invitation to live with purpose, intention, and gratitude — even when the path surprises us. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who’s walked this road with you.  🌱 Learn more about Roots & Ripples and other listener resources at thepigpodcast.com. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 26m
  4. Where Joy and Sorrow Meet: Ashley Jo on Heartbreak, Healing, and Redemption

    JAN 5

    Where Joy and Sorrow Meet: Ashley Jo on Heartbreak, Healing, and Redemption

    Some stories don’t fit neatly into categories of grief or healing — they live in the space where both exist at the same time. In this deeply honest and courageous conversation, Ashley Jo joins us to share the story behind her memoir, Tides of Grief, Waves of Grace: A Memoir of Scandal, Sobriety, Heartbreak, and Healing. Ashley opens up about losing her infant son to SMA, navigating the unraveling of her marriage, confronting addiction, surviving a paternity scandal and public shame, and rebuilding her life with truth, grace, and purpose. Rather than offering easy answers, Ashley invites us into the real work of healing — where joy and sorrow can coexist, where redemption unfolds slowly, and where telling the whole truth becomes the doorway to freedom. In this episode, we explore: Infant loss and the long road of griefShame, secrecy, and choosing honestyHealing after addiction and heartbreakThe courage it takes to tell your full storyHow grace often rises in the places we thought we were drowningAshley’s story reminds us that healing isn’t about erasing pain — it’s about learning to live fully, truthfully, and compassionately alongside it. Learn more about Ashley Jo & connect on Instagram. Purchase Tides of Grief, Waves of Grace on Amazon. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 29m
  5. From a Calling to a Legacy: Christy Whitney on Hospice, Leadership & Letting Go

    12/24/2025

    From a Calling to a Legacy: Christy Whitney on Hospice, Leadership & Letting Go

    The holiday season is often filled with joy — but it can also be a time of reflection, loss, and quiet grief. In this powerful and deeply human conversation, we sit down with Christy Whitney Borchard, a pioneering hospice and palliative care leader whose life’s work has shaped end-of-life care in western Colorado and far beyond. Christy didn’t set out to build a legacy — the work found her. What followed was a thirty-year journey of service, compassion, leadership, and courage, founding what would become one of the most respected hospice organizations in the country. Now, she shares what it means to step away from the work that defined her — and trust what comes next. This episode is not just about hospice. It’s about calling, identity, leadership, grief, service, and the courage to let go when a chapter is complete. In this conversation, we explore: How Christy found her life’s work — and how it found herWhat hospice really means for patients, families, and communitiesLeading with compassion in emotionally complex environmentsNavigating retirement after building something from the ground upRedefining legacy beyond titles, roles, and accomplishmentsWhy learning to let go can be a powerful act of loveWhether you’re grieving, reflecting, transitioning, or simply listening quietly during the holidays, this episode offers wisdom, warmth, and perspective that lingers long after the final word. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who may need this conversation today. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 47m
  6. Can One Sentence Change Everything? Neil Gordon on Story, Truth & Communication

    12/10/2025

    Can One Sentence Change Everything? Neil Gordon on Story, Truth & Communication

    What if a single sentence could change the way you communicate, connect, or make meaning of your life? In this conversation, communication strategist and author Neil Gordon joins us to explore what he calls The Silver Bullet — one intentional, clarifying sentence that can move people, inspire action, and deepen connection. Neil shares the personal story behind his book The Most Powerful Sentence of All Time — including the grief of losing his father, the emotional shutdown that began in childhood, and the moment during the pandemic when he reconnected to his own voice and feelings in a way he hadn’t in years. We talk about:  The Silver Bullet and why one sentence outperforms advice or explanation How contrast creates clarity in storytelling, messaging, and everyday communication Grief, vulnerability, and the emotional journey that reshaped Neil’s work Handling online criticism with empathy (and algorithm-friendly curiosity) Why goosebumps signal that your message is landing at the emotional level How one sentence shaped The P-I-G Podcast’s own missionNeil offers simple but transformative guidance for finding your own Silver Bullet — whether you’re a parent, partner, leader, writer, or simply someone longing to speak and listen with more clarity and intention. This episode is a reminder that words don’t just communicate — they connect, heal, empower, and become part of our living legacy. 📘 Explore Neil’s work: neilcanhelp.com 📖 Order the book: The Most Powerful Sentence of All Time Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 25m
  7. The Sisters & Their Guys: Gratitude, Growth, and a Little Holiday Chaos

    11/26/2025

    The Sisters & Their Guys: Gratitude, Growth, and a Little Holiday Chaos

    What happens when two sisters sit down with “their guys” for a Thanksgiving conversation that’s equal parts heartfelt, hilarious, and unexpectedly healing? In this special holiday episode, Kellie and Erin welcome Marcus and Jason back to the mic to talk about gratitude, growth, family traditions, and the beautiful chaos that makes this season meaningful. From kitchen mishaps and family quirks to the deeper moments that shaped them this year, the four of them open up about what they’re learning, what they’re laughing about, and what they’re letting go of. They talk about relationships, resilience, blended families, the work of becoming better humans… and why gratitude is more powerful when it’s messy, honest, and shared. In this Thanksgiving roundtable, we explore: • What each of us is most grateful for this year  • How challenges shaped our growth individually and as couples  • Why presence matters more than perfection  • How gratitude rewires relationships  • The power of reflection, humor, and intentional connection This episode is real, raw, meaningful — and full of the kind of laughter that reminds us why holidays matter. Whether you’re cooking, driving, hosting, or hiding in the pantry for five minutes of quiet, this conversation is a warm reminder that gratitude is a practice… and we’re all learning. **FREE RESOURCE** Download the all-new P-I-G Gratitude Reset today! **NEW PROGRAM** Learn more about the P-I-G Relationship Reset. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 28m
  8. Hidden Truths, Uncovered Roots: The Story of The Not-So Only Child

    11/12/2025

    Hidden Truths, Uncovered Roots: The Story of The Not-So Only Child

    What if one discovery rewrote everything you thought you knew about your life? When Rich Boerner flew across the country to clean out his late mother’s apartment after her passing, he expected grief — not a total rewrite of his family history. Inside her nightstand, he found a letter that revealed a secret she had kept his entire life: the truth about his father, his identity, and the family he never knew he had. In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Rich — longtime radio producer, podcaster, storyteller, and author of The Not-So Only Child — shares what it was like to uncover the unimaginable, and how the experience transformed his understanding of love, legacy, and truth. We talk about:  • How hidden family stories shape identity and belonging  • Grieving the loss of a parent while uncovering new truths  • The emotional impact of silence and secrecy in families  • What it means to “rewrite” your story with compassion  • The power of humor, humility, and healing through honesty Rich’s story reminds us that truth doesn’t erase love — it deepens it. And sometimes, the family we lose isn’t the only one we find. 🎧 Listen and share at thePIGpodcast.com or on your favorite platform. 📖 Purchase the book and connect with Rich. Support the show Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now. 💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it! 🔗 Connect & Follow Along If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social: 🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com 📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact 📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn 💖 Support Our Mission Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

    1h 47m
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About

Welcome to The P-I-G, a podcast where we explore life, love, loss, and legacy through real conversations and meaningful stories—with Purpose, Intention, and Gratitude. Hosted by sisters, Kellie Straub and Erin Thomas, The P-I-G was born from the bond they shared with their late mother, Marsha—a woman whose life and love continue to inspire every story told. What began as a deeply personal project has since evolved into a growing legacy movement, including The Boxes, a developing film and television series inspired by the physical gifts their mother left behind—each one unwrapped at a defining life moment after her passing. At its heart, The P-I-G is about what matters most: connection. It’s a warm, welcoming space for open and honest conversations about the things we all carry—and the stories that shape who we are. While “loss” is often defined by death, our episodes explore a much broader truth: We grieve relationships, mobility, identity, careers, finances, health, pets, confidence, memory, belongings, faith—even entire versions of ourselves. Through personal reflections, powerful guest interviews, and expert insights, each episode invites you to consider what it means to live fully, love deeply, grieve honestly, and leave a legacy that matters. Whether you’re navigating a loss, rediscovering your voice, or simply craving deeper connection—you belong here. 💬 Favorite topics include: Grief and healing (in all its forms)Sibling stories and family dynamicsLove, marriage, caregiving, and motherhoodSpirituality, resilience, and personal growthLegacy storytelling and honoring those we’ve lost🎧 New episodes post every other week. Follow and share to help us spread the message that hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own and legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now. Hogs & Kisses, everyone. 💗🐷💗

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