grief

Jul 08

Mike Oppenheim

By Chrissy Bernal Author, Faith, Grief, Podcast No Comments

Most people expect a conversation about death to feel heavy. This one feels surprisingly hopeful.

This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with Mike Oppenheim, host of the podcast Coffin Talk, for a conversation about fatherhood, grief, faith, forgiveness, and the question every person eventually asks: What happens when we die?

Mike shares the heartbreaking story of losing his son, how he found healing without living in anger, and why spending years with hospice patients changed everything he believed about what matters most.

Whether you share these beliefs or not, you’ll find something meaningful in this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!

(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!) License #: 679261

In this Episode:

Growing up in Berkeley and the culture that shaped Mike’s early years
How a spur-of-the-moment college application sent him to the University of Pittsburgh
The custody battle and international parental child abduction that took his son to Thailand
Working through the U.S. State Department and the reality of cross-border custody cases
Volunteering at Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix and choosing the dementia ward
Why hospice families struggle more than the patients themselves
The origin story of the Coffin Talk podcast
America’s discomfort with aging and mortality compared to other cultures
Faith, fear, and why anger never solves anything
Blended family life, his current wife, and his two young daughters
The moment his daughter finally got to talk to her brother

Quotations:

“What faith also is getting in touch with your heart, with your feelings, with the part of you that isn’t just a brain. And to me, my heart doesn’t get angry. My body doesn’t get angry. My brain gets angry. My ego is what tells me to be mad, which is different from being sad and crying.” – Mike Oppenheim

“I wish our culture would step back and at least acknowledge that those people who have faith, and it doesn’t matter; they can have faith in nothing, but having faith in nothing and then making lemonade out of that is exactly what anyone could be doing.” – Mike Oppenheim

Bio:

Mike Oppenheim is an author, speaker, and the creator of the Coffin Talk podcast, where he asks guests one timeless question: What do you think happens when you die? After experiencing profound personal loss, Mike found purpose in hospice volunteering and helping others have honest conversations about life, death, grief, and hope. Through his writing and podcast, he encourages people to live with greater compassion, curiosity, and appreciation for the time we have.

Guest Contact Info:

Substack: https://mikeyopp.substack.com/podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeyopp38/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeyopp

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-oppenheim-8a5562186/

Feb 25

Love22

Mick Wienholt

By Chrissy Bernal Faith, Grief, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, join us for an unforgettable conversation as we sit down with Mick Wienholt, a man who survived a catastrophic avalanche that should have taken his life. With a fractured skull, a broken jaw, and massive blood loss, Mick walked three miles back to his truck before collapsing into emergency brain surgery.

But that miracle was only the beginning.

Years later, Mick and his wife experienced the devastating stillbirth of their son, Luke, a loss that brought them to their knees and ultimately led them into a life-changing relationship with Christ. What followed was a story of redemption neither of them could have scripted.

This episode explores ego, survival, grief, faith, and the way God can redeem even the darkest chapters of our lives.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

License #: 679261

In This Episode:

What really happened the day Mick triggered an avalanche in Colorado
Walking three miles with a fractured skull
The difference between surviving something… and being changed by it
The grief of stillbirth and losing their son, Luke
Hitting the emotional bottom and crying out to God
Faith as a daily choice, not a family inheritance
The redemption of January
How twin boys were born seven years after a loss
The difference between coincidence and God in action

Quotations:

”And so what ended up happening was through the grief of Luke’s death, we thought we had a Luke-shaped hole in our hearts. God showed us that we had a God-shaped hole in our hearts. He filled that hole, loved us through all the grief, and changed the trajectory of our lives ever since.” ~ Mick Wienholt

Bio:

Mick Wienholt is the host of the podcast When You Look, where everyday people share extraordinary stories of God’s presence in their lives. After surviving a catastrophic avalanche as a teenager and later experiencing the stillbirth of his firstborn son, Mick’s life took a dramatic turn. What began as a 25-year faith-avoidant journey became a ministry rooted in redemption, raw testimony, and honest conversations about grief and grace. He is a redeemed son of Jesus Christ, grateful husband to an incredible wife, and father of four children, three of whom are living.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://www.whenyoulook.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whenyoulookshow/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whenyoulookshow/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhenYouLookShow

Oct 22

Love22

Kim Cantin

By Chrissy Bernal Author, Community, Grief, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, join us for a deeply moving episode with Kim Cantin, speaker and author of Where the Yellow Flowers Bloom, to share her powerful journey through unimaginable loss and the unbreakable strength of love. After surviving the 2018 Montecito mudslide that claimed her husband and son, Kim opens up about grief, healing, and the small miracles that helped her rebuild her life.

You’ll hear how Kim’s daughter Lauren survived six hours buried under twenty feet of mud, how community became her lifeline, and why true healing happens on your own timeline. Her story is one of heartbreak and hope, a reminder that even in the darkest seasons, compassion and connection can bring us back to life.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

In This Episode:

Surviving the unthinkable and finding purpose beyond pain
The incredible story of Lauren’s survival
Lessons in grief, love, and letting others help
Rebuilding with grace and gratitude
The healing power of writing and community

Quotations:

“They were giving me the gift on my grief timeline, not on theirs. So everyone grieves differently in different times, right? But they were giving the gift on my timeline.” ~ Kim Cantin

“I’ve mentally and physically felt like I’m not afraid of anything anymore.” ~ Kim Cantin

“I’ve become a different person. I’m definitely wiser. I have more wisdom about what is grief. And that’s a human experience. Anyone whose love is going to have grief in their life.” ~ Kim Cantin

“When they’re done, not when I’m done listening to you talk about your grief.” ~ Kim Cantin

“If I have grandkids in the future, or if Lauren has children, I want to remember the details. And so I just started kind of writing it that way. And then as I started writing it, I was like, I’m seeing my progression going from desperate grief to more peaceful acceptance. And I’m like, I think that might help someone.” ~ Kim Cantin

“I will try to do that for others on their timeline, whatever it is. Some people’s timeline’s short, some’s long, and some have a hard time ever getting over stuff. Whatever their timeline is, I’ll try to still be compassionate.” ~ Kim Cantin

Bio:

Kim Cantin is a powerful symbol of resilience, having survived the devastating Montecito mudslides of 2018 that claimed 23 lives, including her husband and son, and left her daughter buried alive. Through unimaginable loss, Kim has fought to rebuild her life, driven by a fierce commitment to hope. She courageously shares her experience and new-found wisdom through her first book, Where Yellow Flowers Bloom.