In 47 years, I've experienced a rough childhood, a homeless mom, academic and professional success against the odds, cancer that torpedoed my law career and left me nothing like it found me, the death of our daughter in the midst of a global pandemic, and our town burning down. I've found purpose and manage to embrace this life, which is nothing like the one I envisioned. We'll talk about everything here. By revealing our truths, we let others know they're never alone. This podcast shares the stories, triumphs and struggles of folks from all walks of life.
kayesteinsapir.substack.com (https://kayesteinsapir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
We want to talk about those we've lost, especially our kids. We want to tell you about who they were, what they loved, and share our favorite stories about them.
Ask the grievers in your life to tell you about their person. Give them the gift of sharing your memories of them.
On The Obliterated Place podcast, we honor our loved ones who've died by keeping their spirits alive. We celebrate them. Thank you, Elizabeth Kopple, for sharing your son, Henry, with us.
I’ve befriended many grieving parents over the past five years and noticed that kids who leave the world early have things in common. They often share attributes of kindness towards everyone (including and especially those who are different), a desire to help and give to others, artistic/creative/athletic passions, and a deep connection to animals and nature. I believe they’re old souls who come to Earth for a limited time and special purpose. They are such a blessing.
We hope you'll tune into Episode 4 of the Obliterated Place. Please be sure to follow/subscribe and leave us a review 🙏. This helps to increase our visibility.
Grief can be isolating and lonely. Share this episode with someone who might appreciate hearing it.
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12 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
Episode 4 of The Obliterated Place
Elizabeth Kopple began writing creative nonfiction after her 18-year-old son Henry was killed on his first day of college in 2022. Elizabeth wrote in an essay published in the Huffington Post, “in an instant, every expectation for our family and our future was obliterated.”
I met Elizabeth at her family’s home shortly after Henry’s funeral. In our conversation on the podcast, Elizabeth explained that she felt an urgent need to meet another grieving parent because she couldn’t figure out how she was supposed to get up in the morning, and needed another person who understood to tell her. Her brain was overwhelmed with shock and pain.
Grief is as unique as our losses. But it’s essential to meet others who’ve experienced a version of our unfamiliar new reality; to see them on their feet, a bit further down the path. While there’s no singular way forward, other grieving parents showed me paths that they took. They gave me hope.
Part of my healing involves paying it forward for newly bereaved parents. I’m gratified by ripple effects, the ways in which someone whom I’ve helped eventually reaches back and takes the hand of a parent whose world has just been shattered. I know it makes our kids proud of us.
In the three and half years since I first met Elizabeth, she’s discovered her own way forward. Elizabeth shares her experiences on Substack and has written a memoir about Henry’s loss. She helps to moderate a group for grieving parents. Elizabeth fosters our community. I’m proud to be part of her circle.
I highly recommend Elizabeth’s Substack, Channeling Grief. Her viral Huffington Post essay can be found at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/son-college-death-freak-accident-grief_n_690505f2e4b0060501ac2dad.
Learn more about college campus safety at https://coreysafetyact.org/ and https://collegesafetycoalition.net/.
We hope you’ll tune into Episode 4 of the Obliterated Place. Please be sure to follow/subscribe and leave us a review. This helps to increase our visibility.
Grief can be isolating and lonely. Share this episode with someone who might appreciate hearing it.
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Get full access to Transforming pain into purpose at kayesteinsapir.substack.com/subscribe (https://kayesteinsapir.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
20 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Grief shouldn't be so f*****g lonely
We want to talk about the ones we’ve lost. You aren’t upsetting us when you mention their names and tell us stories about them. You’re giving us a gift.
Grief is lonely - especially when the loss wasn’t “supposed to happen.” We experience isolation on top of our sorrow.
The Obliterated Place will help to change that. On my new podcast, we celebrate our loved ones who died. We reveal our pain, which is a reflection of how much we love them.
Please subscribe and share. I can’t wait for you to meet my guests on the show.
Get full access to Transforming pain into purpose at kayesteinsapir.substack.com/subscribe (https://kayesteinsapir.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
Inside a recent episode
Episode 4 of The Obliterated Place
Published 12 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And all of a sudden, it was all erased. And so I literally didn't know what to do with my body or my brain. I was like, what am I supposed to do now? It was just everything. And my brain needed to be updated all at once. And I think that's part of the process that's sometimes known as grief brain that I know you've also probably experienced. I have had many, many challenges. Yes, absolutely. With grief brain. And it's basically when, you know, it's the time, it takes months, maybe years, for your brain to catch up with the fact that your child is no longer alive, and all the repercussions of what that means. […]
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