DEAD Talks is a podcast about grief and loss hosted by David Ferrugio. The host's father was a Cantor Fitzgerald employee who worked in the World Trade Center. He was killed in the 9/11 attacks. David was just twelve years old at the time. At the time, he found that talking about death helped him deal with his grief. This podcast is his way of lifting the taboo that surrounds talk of death.
On the podcast, David invites guests to talk about their experiences with loss. Everyone experiences grief in their own way. In one episode, Madison McGhee talks about how her father's murder remains unsolved. She has made it her life's work to find the killer. In another episode, British musician AJ Tracey discusses how he lost friends in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. He and Ferrugio talk about collective grief. Uncle Jack is a 100-year-old influencer. At his age, he has lost most of the people he grew up with. In his episode, he tells listeners what grief is like in old age.
Some guests on DEAD Talks have other experiences of life and death. Alexis Landot is a free solo climber who has ascended Paris' tallest buildings. He talks about why he confronts death. In another episode, Don Piper talks about his near-death experience. For 90 minutes, he was dead. He describes what he experienced during that time. Stephen Grey is a documentary filmmaker and creator of the film After Death. He interviews survivors, doctors, and others to find out what happens after life ends.
Listeners might appreciate the host's interviews with people who work around death. They share their experience of grief support. Ashley LeMieux is a grief and bereavement expert. She believes acknowledging feelings is important to processing loss in one's grief journey. J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain. He supports families in the immediate aftermath of loss of a loved one. After his own loss, Benjamin May founded The New Normal Charity. The organization brings together grieving people.
Death and loss can be unpleasant topics. Many people are uncomfortable around grievers. But talking about them can be an important part of the healing process. Listeners who have experienced loss may find kindred spirits on the DEAD Talks podcast.
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