Grief Looks Different When You're a Man Without Your Dad
Grief for men can feel isolating, especially when your dad dies and there isn’t really a place to talk about it.
In the first full episode of Dead Dads, Scott and Roger talk about losing their fathers, grief, and the strange mix of sadness, humor, and honesty that comes after a parent dies.
This episode starts with why the podcast exists. There aren’t many spaces where men talk openly about father loss, grief, and the death of a parent. Dead Dads is an attempt to change that.
Scott shares the story of his dad choosing MAID (medical assistance in dying) after a cancer diagnosis and the complicated emotions that came with that decision. Roger talks about losing his dad after years of cancer treatment and the moment he realized things were changing quickly.
They also talk about guilt, therapy, family, and the strange ways grief shows up. Sometimes in quiet moments. Sometimes on Christmas. Sometimes when you least expect it.
Dead Dads is not therapy.
We’re not doctors.
Just two guys trying to understand life after losing their dads.
If you’ve experienced losing your dad, grief, or the death of a father, this conversation might feel familiar.
Sometimes the only way through grief is to talk about it.
And occasionally… laugh about it.
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Timestamps:
0:01 – The idea behind Dead Dads
0:10 – A sad, weird, funny podcast about losing your dad
0:28 – Why we started the podcast
0:40 – Why men don’t talk about grief
0:54 – Learning through conversation with other men
2:16 – Getting to know Scott and Roger
2:36 – Comfort shows and the things that help us unwind
3:57 – Scott’s dad: cancer and choosing MAID (medical assistance in dying)
4:52 – When the diagnosis suddenly became serious
6:31 – The concussion that changed his personality
7:54 – His suicide attempt and the shock that followed
8:45 – Fear, uncertainty, and what Scott learned from it
9:55 – Turning grief into motivation to live differently
10:27 – Going to therapy after losing his dad
11:40 – Becoming a father and redefining what matters
12:33 – Roger’s dad and a five-year battle with cancer
13:29 – The cycle of hope and setbacks during treatment
14:13 – The moment it became clear things were changing
15:47 – The moment Roger realized his dad was dying
16:46 – The difficult conversation about MAID
17:55 – Asking his father what he wanted at the end
19:37 – Knowing the exact time his dad would die
20:24 – Grieving during Christmas with family
20:49 – The first Christmas without his dad
21:54 – When grief hits after the holidays
22:36 – The burden carried by the people who stay
23:29 – Why Roger feels guilt after his dad’s death
24:17 – Living with grief day to day
25:25 – Why grief never really turns off
26:06 – Advice for anyone dealing with the death of a parent
26:44 – Why therapy helps
27:15 – Why grief can teach you what matters
27:32 – Closing thoughts and why this podcast exists