What can people facing the end of life teach the rest of us about living right now?

In this episode of Dying to Know More, palliative care chaplain Cody Hufstedler shares what he’s learned from hundreds of deathbed conversations as well as the intimate conversations he's had with terminal patients on his podcast, "Dying to Tell You."

We also talk about grief, terminal illness, fear of death, finding meaning at the end of life, and how talking openly about death can help us live more intentionally. If you’re curious about end-of-life wisdom, hospice conversations, or living with purpose, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more honest conversations about death, grief, and what it means to truly live.

Find Cody online at:

dttypodcast.com

Instagram: @dttypod

Youtube: @dttypod

Facebook: dttypod

Tiktok: dying.to.tell.you

What happens when grief hits all at once, and how do you survive it? In this episode of Dying to Know More, author Samantha Rose shares the raw, disorienting reality of losing her mother to suicide and the unexpected ways she found healing.

An Emmy Award-winning writer and bestselling author, Samantha Rose talks about her memoir Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter’s Memoir, a powerful exploration of loss, love and the journey to healing — all with a touch of humor.

Learn how Samantha navigated a season of compounded grief, including divorce, cancer, her mother’s sudden death, and the isolation of COVID, and how those experiences reshaped her understanding of survival. She shares what it’s really like to lose someone to suicide, including the shock, guilt, anger, and unanswered questions that follow.

Samantha also reflects on the tools that helped her heal, from therapy to writing, and the deeply personal and surprising ways she continued a relationship with her mother after her passing.

This is a conversation about grief, but also about resilience, connection, and learning how to live again.

If you’ve ever wondered how people survive the unimaginable, or you’re navigating grief yourself, this episode offers honesty, comfort, and perspective you won’t hear in everyday conversations.

Purchase Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter's Memoir at https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Up-Ghost-Daughters-Memoir-ebook/dp/B0DPN6JP58

Learn more about Samantha Rose at the following:

https://www.yellowskymedia.com/my-story
IG: https://www.instagram.com/samantharose_writer
FB: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.rose.90813/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantharoseswartz

What happens when success no longer feels meaningful and grief changes everything?

In this episode, we talk with entrepreneur-turned-death doula Phil Benavides, who walked away from a thriving tech company after experiencing multiple personal losses during COVID. What followed was a complete life pivot, one that led him into the world of grief support, end-of-life care, and ultimately, building a groundbreaking platform to help people navigate the loss of a beloved pet.

Phil shares powerful insights into the emotional complexity of choosing euthanasia, what a “good death” can look like for our pets, and how simple, intentional moments can make all the difference.

They also dive into the inspiration behind Remembrance, the new app designed to connect grieving pet owners with real humans who understand their pain, exactly when they need it most ... even if it's at 2 a.m.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why pet loss can feel just as painful as losing a person
• The concept of “disenfranchised grief” and why it matters
• How to know when it’s time to say goodbye to your pet
• What actually helps people process grief (hint: it’s not articles)
• How peer support and pet tech is reshaping the future of pet grief care

Check out Remembrance Pets here: https://remembrancepets.com/

When we lose a human loved one, society rolls out a "red carpet" of support. Meals are delivered, bereavement leave is granted, and our grief is validated. But when a "soul dog" or a beloved feline companion passes, pet parents are often met with silence, awkwardness, or the dismissive sentiment that it was "just an animal."

In this episode, we talk with Koryn Greenspan, a certified pet loss bereavement specialist and end-of-life pet doula. After a 13-year career in the pet industry and the profound loss of her own soul dog, Georgia, Koryn founded The Parted Paw to fill the void in how we support those grieving a pet.

In this episode, we explore:
• The "Hierarchy of Species": Why the clinical definition of bereavement doesn't distinguish between humans and animals, and why your grief is 100% valid.
• Anticipatory Grief: Navigating the "limbo" when a pet is aging or in palliative care.
• Practical Support: What to actually say (and what not to say) to a friend who has lost a pet.
• The Digital Gut-Punch: How social media memories can complicate the healing process and why we need better "digital boundaries" for grief.

Whether you are currently navigating the loss of a pet, supporting a friend, or working in the animal care industry, this conversation offers a safe space to acknowledge that love is love and loss is loss.

Website: https://www.thepartedpaw.com/
Instagram: thepartedpaw_griefsupport
TikTok: ThePartedPaw

About the Podcast:
Dying to Know More explores the complex, often hushed conversations surrounding death, dying, and the grief that follows. Hosted by Ashley Haugen, we aim to educate and empower listeners to lean into the uncomfortable parts of life with grace and curiosity.

Subscribe for more episodes.

More families are asking about water cremation, but very few people actually understand how it works.

In this episode of Dying to Know More, we talk with Philip Flores, Jr., a pioneer in the aquamation industry, about the science, ethics, and growing demand for this environmentally conscious option.

We discuss:
• The real process behind alkaline hydrolysis
• Why water cremation produces lighter, finer remains
• Environmental benefits compared to flame cremation
• Why awareness is rapidly increasing
• How families are memorializing loved ones in new ways

If you’ve heard the term “green cremation” and want to know what it really means, this episode will answer your questions.

Find out more about Philip Flores Jr. and Cremation by Water at:
🌎: https://www.cremation-by-water.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/cremationbywater/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/cremationbywater
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@UCShB3ojb5U6JoLlWCgRouDg
TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@cremationbywater

Growing up in a funeral home is more than just a "fun fact," it can provide a life-altering perspective on how to live. Growing up in her family's third-generation funeral home taught Katie Radel so many beautiful lessons about living that can only be found by witnessing death.

In this episode of Dying to Know More, host Ashley Haugen talks with Katie Radel about her unique upbringing and how she got involved in the world of natural burial at Larkspur Conservation in Middle Tennessee.

Katie explains the radical difference between the coffee-and-lilies atmosphere of a family funeral business and the serene wildflower meadows of Larkspur Conservation — and how there's space for both. We dive deep into the emotional weight of being with a loved one during their final moments, and how witnessing hundreds of funerals can actually help you live a more authentic life. This conversation offers a refreshing, non-taboo look at the one thing we all have in common and is — as Katie says — 100% happening to all of us.

Inside This Episode We Cover:
• Growing up living above a funeral home
• Driving a hearse at 16: Normalizing the industry
• How death gave Katie the courage to change her life
• The most moving "celebration of life" story Katie's experience
• The Death Positivity movement
• Why "fingernails" matter in funeral prep
• Finding "winks" from the other side

Resources & Links:
Learn about Larkspur Conservation: https://larkspurconservation.org/

Watch "Bury Me at Taylor Hollow": https://www.reelsouth.org/documentaries/bury-me-taylor-hollow

Follow Dying to Know More on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dyingtoknowmorepodcast/

Check out our previous episode with Alice Sullivan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dk3NiQD8Jk&t=1s

Mandy Benoualid, founder of Keeper and Talk Death, shares what led her to reimagine and modernize the memorial space. She also shares the most popular article on Talk Death for 11 years running, her most profound experiences in this space and more. Enjoy this enlightening episode of Dying to Know More.

SHOW NOTES:
Learn more about Mandy's work at the following:
TalkDeath.com
FB: talkdeathdaily
IG: talkdeathdaily
YT: @TalkDeathDaily

MyKeeper.com
FB: keepermemorials
IG: keepermemorials
YT: @keepermemorials1124

In this episode of Dying to Know More, we welcome Ebony Leary, founder of My Sunset Doula. As a former hospice nurse and current death doula and end-of-life planning professional, Ebony demystifies the caregiving journey. We discuss the "pink flags" of cognitive decline, how families can access Medicaid funds for caregiving, and why having an advanced directive is the best gift you can leave your family. Whether you are currently a caregiver or just starting to notice your parents aging, this episode offers the roadmap you need.