Stephen shares his raw experience with grief and loss after the sudden passing of his son. We discuss the profound impact of dealing with grief on one's mind, body, and sense of safety. This conversation offers insight into bereavement and the complex journey of emotional healing, including anger, forgiveness, and the guilt that can arise when finding joy again. #GriefSupport #HealingFromGrief #coping
In August 2020, Stephen Panus received a phone call no parent should ever receive. His 16-year-old son Jake was gone. What followed was not a linear journey through grief. It was survival, one hour at a time.
In this episode of The Life Shift Podcast, Stephen shares what it felt like to get the news on a highway, pull into a bank parking lot, and scream to the sky. He talks about the rage, the guilt, the shame of laughing for the first time again. He shares how therapy kept his family alive, how his wife and son grieved in completely different ways, and how the Jake Panus Walk On Scholarship became a way to keep his son’s name in the world.
He also shares the one piece of advice that will stop you mid-scroll: you can’t fake showing up.
Keywords: child loss, grieving father, losing a son, grief and forgiveness, grief guilt shame, walk on scholarship, sudden loss, grief therapy, how to grieve, life after loss, parent grief, learning to live again
Connect with Stephen Panus:
Website: [stephanpanus.com](http://stephanpanus.com)
Book: Walk On (available on Amazon, all proceeds to the scholarships)
Connect with The Life Shift:
Website: [www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com](http://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com)
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