Send us Fan Mail

This episode contains discussions of homicide, trauma, PTSD, self-harm, substance use, and grief. Please listen with care and prioritize your mental health if these topics are difficult for you.

In this deeply emotional and profoundly honest episode, Pam sits down with Tiffany Mourning to share the extraordinary love story she built with her husband, Justin — a relationship full of laughter, music, adventure, devotion, and fierce friendship.

From their unforgettable first meeting at a Halloween party to late-night karaoke in downtown Alpharetta, Tiffany paints a vivid picture of a marriage rooted in joy, playfulness, loyalty, and genuine partnership. She shares how Justin showed up for her in life’s hardest moments — from caring for aging parents to building a life together through grief, parenting, career changes, and cross-country moves.

The conversation then turns to the unimaginable: the night Justin was murdered while the couple walked through downtown Alpharetta after a date night. Tiffany bravely recounts the trauma of surviving the shooting, the devastating aftermath for their children and community, and the complex layers of grief, PTSD, survival mode, and healing that followed.
This episode is not only about devastating loss — it’s also about what happens after. Tiffany speaks candidly about trauma therapy, EMDR, sobriety, residential treatment, self-forgiveness, and learning how to rebuild a life after violent loss. Her vulnerability offers a powerful reminder that healing is not linear, and no one should have to navigate grief alone.

Watch the video on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/ggbHntAr5ZI

#TheLostLoveStories
#WidowJourney
#GriefSupport
#LoveAfterLoss
#TraumaHealing
#HealingAfterLoss
#WidowLife
#PTSDRecovery
#SurvivingTrauma
#GriefPodcast
#LossAndHealing
#MentalHealthAwareness
#HomicideSurvivor
#LifeAfterLoss
#WidowSupport
#HealingJourney

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

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Anne Keeton—a certified Grief Recovery Specialist and someone who has deeply impacted my own journey—to talk about her best friend, Ted.

Their relationship was deeply connected, honest, and full of laughter—what Anne describes as one of the “cleanest” friendships she’s ever had.

When Ted was diagnosed with cancer, Anne stepped into a unique caregiving role, walking alongside him through a year-and-a-half journey that would ultimately end in loss.

But this conversation goes far beyond that loss.

Anne shares powerful insight into what grief actually is—and how it shows up in ways most of us don’t recognize. From unmet expectations to everyday life transitions, grief is often much broader than we think.

We talk about:

• Why time alone doesn’t heal grief
• How unresolved grief builds over time
• And the idea that staying in pain is not the same as honoring someone we love

This episode is thoughtful, honest, and incredibly helpful—whether you’ve lost someone or are carrying something you haven’t quite been able to name.

Because grief isn’t just something we experience once…
it’s something we learn how to move through.

To learn more about Anne and grief recovery, visit her website:

https://annekeeton.com/

Watch the video on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/fmccMg8V3Fs

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

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of The Lost Love Stories, I sit down with Elle Davis—speaker, author, and founder of The Ellevate Group—to talk about her husband, Paul, and a love that started unexpectedly but quickly became something undeniable.

From a 12-hour first date to a deeply connected marriage, their story was full of faith, laughter, and meaning. But in an instant, everything changed.

At just 36 years old, with a two-year-old daughter at home, Elle lost her husband suddenly—turning an ordinary day into one that would change her life forever.

What follows is a powerful conversation about navigating unimaginable loss and the choice to move forward.

Elle shares how she began to rebuild, what resilience really looks like, and how she now helps others find their way through life’s hardest moments.

This episode is a reminder that while grief may shape us… it doesn’t have to define us.

Connect with Elle:

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

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

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ldavismsw/

Website:
www.ellevategroup.us

Watch this episode on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/YbtVNNVZSBo

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

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.