Send us Fan Mail

Some relationships are built over decades—through shared struggles, deep understanding, and the kind of connection that only comes from walking a similar path.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with my dear friend Margarete Cassalina. We met over 20 years ago through the cystic fibrosis community, both raising children with the same diagnosis. And like so many relationships formed in hard places, ours became something lasting and deeply meaningful.

Today, we talk about her daughter, Jena.

Margarete doesn’t say Jena “died.” She says Jena moved up. And as you listen, you begin to understand why.

Jena was vibrant, strong-willed, and wise far beyond her 13 years. What she left behind isn’t just memories—it’s a presence that Margarete still feels every day.

This conversation isn’t just about loss—it’s about what comes after.

You’ll hear the moment everything shifted for Margarete and how, from that point on, Jena became someone who is, not someone who was.

We talk about signs, connection, and what Margarete calls “love from above”—from pennies that appear at just the right moment to the quiet ways our people remind us they’re still with us.

But more than anything, this episode is about how we choose to live.

Jena once said:

“I’m not going to ruin today because I’m worried about tomorrow.”

And that wisdom becomes the heartbeat of this conversation.
If you’ve ever wondered how to keep going… how to honor the ones you love… or how to find meaning inside grief—this episode is for you.

Because love never ends.

It just changes form.

To learn more about Margarete and all that she does, please visit:

https://margaretecassalina.com/

https://margaretecassalinaauthor.com/

https://africanmissionhealthcare.org/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Margarete-Cassalina/author/B0128JFWTE?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1774553578&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

https://fundraise.cff.org/CentralNYXtremehike2026/Cassalina

Watch the podcast video:

https://youtu.be/0N09JWZNoms

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is a little different—but it felt too important not to share.

Before The Lost Love Stories, I recorded this conversation with my sister Kylee. And the more I listened back… the more I realized how much it still belongs here.

Because while this isn’t a story about losing a person—it is a story about losing and finding yourself.

Kylee shares her lifelong relationship with food—how it started young, how it evolved, and how it became both a comfort and a struggle she carried for years. From early habits to significant weight gain, to losing over 200 pounds, to gaining some of it back… this is not a straight line story.

It’s real.
It’s honest.
And it’s something so many people will see themselves in.

What stood out most to me wasn’t just the physical journey—it was the mental one.

The constant decisions.
The exhaustion of always having to choose.
And the realization that there is no “finish line” when it comes to healing your relationship with yourself.

We also talk about something that doesn’t get said enough:
How differently the world treats you based on how you look—and how that shapes your experience in ways most people don’t even realize.

But underneath all of it is a deeper message:

This isn’t about perfection.
It’s about awareness.
It’s about self-worth.
And it’s about learning how to live in your own life—without constantly fighting yourself.

If you’ve ever struggled with food, your body, or the voice in your head that tells you you’re not enough… this conversation is for you.

#food #addiction #weightloss #gastricsleevejourney #bodyimage #diet #selfimprovement #mentalhealth #health #bariatricsurgery #healthjourney journey #bodyacceptance #emotionaleating #selfworth #gastricsleeve

Watch this episode on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/SOrqT7a-aDc

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

Some love stories don’t end the way we expect them to.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Monika to talk about her husband, Gabe—and the life they built together.

From the way they met (after months of her literally dodging his calls) to building a business side by side, raising children, and creating a life that was full, layered, and deeply connected… their story is one of partnership in every sense of the word.

But this conversation takes a turn none of us are ever prepared for.

On the morning of their anniversary, everything changed.

What follows is a story of sudden loss—but also of clarity, strength, and the moments that shape how we move forward.

Monika shares what it was like to:

• Make impossible decisions in real time
• Tell her young children that their father was gone
• Navigate grief while still needing to lead her family
• And carry out her husband’s final wish—to not let this define their lives

There’s one moment in particular that stays with me.

Just weeks before he passed, Gabe said to her:

At the time, it felt like a passing comment.

Now, it feels like something more.

This episode isn’t just about loss.
It’s about what strength actually looks like.

It’s about motherhood, leadership, and the quiet decisions we make every day to keep going—even when everything in us wants to stop.

And it’s about rewriting what it means to be a widow.

Because as Monika so powerfully shares…
strength isn’t found in falling apart.

Sometimes, it’s found in choosing to keep living.

Resources & Links:

Connect with Monika:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikameacham/

Monika's Authentic Leadership Engine:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/monikameacham_most-leadership-conversations-focus-on-outcomes-activity-7414297251826515968-rDo_?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAADgN0TIB0JHXxHXkfOvlrFAnDilpPNd25Yc

Watch this episode on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/k7IxLcgFkls

#podcast #resilience #widow #widowhood #grief #loss #interview #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

Some love stories begin long before we’re even born.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Kalea to talk about her mom, Amy—a woman whose life, love story, and impact shaped everything around her.

From a middle school romance that turned into a lifelong partnership, to building a family rooted in closeness, connection, and showing up for each other… Amy created a life that felt like something out of a movie.

But this story, like so many, takes a turn.

What began as a stage two breast cancer diagnosis quickly became something much more complicated. And over the next two years, Kalea’s life shifted in ways she never could have prepared for—balancing college, caregiving, and the quiet pressure to hold everything together.

This conversation isn’t just about losing a mom.

It’s about what happens after.

Kalea shares what it’s like to:

• Step into roles you were never ready for
• Try to hold traditions together when everything has changed
• Navigate grief in your 20s while the world keeps moving around you
• And slowly learn that healing doesn’t mean “going back”—it means moving forward differently

One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is what Kalea is learning now—two years into her grief.

That sometimes the hardest part isn’t the moment of loss…
It’s learning how to live without the person who shaped you.

And when asked what her mom would say to her today, her answer is simple:

This episode is about love, identity, and the kind of loss that changes you forever.

But it’s also about growth.
About perspective.
And about finding your way forward—even when you don’t feel ready.

For more information about the scholarships in Amy's honor, visit the following links:

The Amy Takayama-Perez Memorial Fund for George Mason - Supporting the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment (WYSE) and Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC)

https://www.cfnova.org/donate/amy-takayama-perez-memorial-fund?fbclid=IwAR1IXAf4Tm9DUYCOXbGUpZb_IT82baFTMlwWU3BMcbZuv_STLkmalfi8l3E

The Amy Takayama-Perez Memorial Student Book Award

https://www.gmu.edu/news/2024-03/alumni-association-launches-book-scholarship-honor-esteemed-colleague-and-alumna

Keywords

grief, cancer, family dynamics, legacy, personal growth, coping mechanisms, mother-daughter relationship, loss, storytelling, emotional healing, breast cancer

Watch the video:

https://youtu.be/zuj1hfmi4EQ

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

Some stories are hard to hear.

And some feel almost impossible to understand.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Rae Ann to talk about her son, Max—a young man who was kind, inclusive, and the kind of person who made everyone around him feel seen.

The kind of kid who noticed the quiet one in the room… and made sure they didn’t feel alone.

But this story takes a turn that Rae Ann describes in one word: senseless.

Max lost his life during a fraternity hazing incident just weeks into his freshman year of college. What happened that night is difficult to hear—and even harder to make sense of.

But this conversation isn’t just about what happened.

It’s about what Rae Ann chose to do next.

In the midst of unimaginable grief, she found something her son had written years earlier:

And from that moment, everything shifted.

Rae Ann has since dedicated her life to making sure Max’s story changes others—traveling the country, speaking to students, advocating for stronger laws, and reminding young people of one simple, life-saving truth:

Call 911. Step in. Take care of each other.

This episode is heartbreaking.
It’s eye-opening.
And it’s deeply important.

Because Max’s story isn’t just about loss.

It’s about the lives that can still be saved.

For more information on the Max Gruver Foundation and hazing resources:

Contact Rae Ann: raeann@maxgruverfoundation.com

https://www.maxgruverfoundation.com/
https://hazingpreventionnetwork.org/state-hazing-laws/
https://hazingpreventionnetwork.org/programs-available-through-hazing-prevention-network/
https://www.hazinginfo.org/

Keywords

Max Gruver, hazing, college life, Greek life, advocacy, loss, resilience, tragedy, awareness, support, anti hazing, advocacy, grief, community support, legislation, mental health, college safety, personal growth, family

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

Some love stories are decades in the making.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Leah to talk about her husband, Brian—a man who was larger than life in the quietest, most meaningful ways.

From their college days at Princeton to building a family, raising three daughters, and creating a life rooted in connection, humor, and deep partnership… their story is one of a love that grew over time and touched everyone around them.

Brian was the kind of person who belonged everywhere—equally at home in a courtroom, on a bike ride, or in the middle of whatever fun was unfolding around him.

And then, in a single moment… everything changed.

While on vacation with their family, Brian drowned in an accident that no one could have predicted—and that still doesn’t fully make sense.

What follows is a story not just of loss—but of survival.

Leah shares:

• What it feels like to experience sudden, traumatic grief
• The impossible decisions that follow in the first hours and days
• How community quite literally carried her family through
• And the reality of navigating finances, parenting, and life after everything shifts overnight

We also talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough:
trauma.

From EMDR therapy to the way the brain tries to “locate” someone who is suddenly gone, Leah offers insight that is both fascinating and deeply validating for anyone navigating grief.

And then… there’s the part that stays with you.

The connection.

The dreams.
The signs.
The feeling that love doesn’t just disappear—it changes form.

This episode is heartbreaking.
It’s honest.
And it’s full of moments that will make you feel less alone.

Because even in the most sudden and senseless loss…
there is still love.
And there is still a way forward.

#lovestory, #family, #grief, #trauma, #support, #community, #loss, #memories, #relationships, #healing, #afterlife, #dreams, #joy, #personalgrowth, #drowning #love, #connection, #EMDR #friendship

Watch on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/95QbWctNWyI

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is different.

It’s not just a love story.
It’s a mother and daughter telling the same story… from two very different places.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with my daughter, Sabrina—Beanie—to talk about her dad.

Their relationship was special in a way that only a father and daughter can understand. From volleyball to weekly breakfasts, he was her person.

And then… he got sick.

What follows is something I don’t think we talk about enough:

What grief looks like for teenagers.

Sabrina shares—honestly and without filters:

• What it felt like to watch her dad decline
• The regret she carries from pulling away when things got hard
• The panic, confusion, and trauma of losing him
• And what happened after

Because her story didn’t go in a straight line.

It spiraled.

There were moments of anger.
Disconnection.
Self-destruction.

And as her mom… I watched it happen in real time.

This episode is about that tension:

• Loving someone and not knowing how to help them
• Being lost and not knowing how to find your way back
• And what it actually takes to come through the other side

Sabrina talks about the people who kept her here.
The relationships that shaped her—for better and worse.
And the moment she started to realize she had to find happiness within herself.

Now, four years later, she’s in a completely different place.

Not “healed.”
But grounded.
Self-aware.
And genuinely happy again.

This episode is messy.
It’s honest.
And it’s one I’ll never forget recording.

Because sometimes the most important stories…
are the hardest ones to tell.

#grief #loss, #healing, #relationships, #love, #family, #cancer, #mentalhealth #personalgrowth #growth, #therapy #griefjourney #podcast #dad #daddydaughter

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ChNhFpY0Qkg

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.

Send us Fan Mail

Some stories don’t come with warning signs.

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Liesl to talk about her son, Finn—a vibrant, kind, funny 10-year-old who left for a snow day playdate… and never came home.

What followed was a loss no parent could ever prepare for.

A sudden AVM.
No symptoms.
No warning.
Just a moment that changed everything.

But this conversation isn’t only about that moment.

It’s about what came after.

Liesl shares what it looked like to:

• Walk through unimaginable shock and trauma
• Be held by a community that showed up in ways she’ll never forget
• Navigate grief while still raising her older son
• And slowly learn how to live with something that never really leaves

There are moments in this conversation that stay with you.

The way her community lined the neighborhood with lights when she came home.
The honesty about what those early days actually felt like.
And the quiet realization that grief doesn’t go away—it just changes shape.

But what stands out most… is Finn.

The boy who loved to read.
Who made people laugh.
Who stood up for others.
And whose impact is still being felt years later—in the people who remember him, honor him, and carry him forward.

Because at the heart of this episode is a truth I don’t think we say enough:

We don’t just grieve the people we lose.
We carry them.

In stories.
In memories.
In the way we continue to live.

#grief #loss #childloss #marriagegrief #journeybacktojoy #joyafterloss #lovestory #lovestories #survivinggrief

Watch the podcast episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1a8AFXcW928

Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.