Mike Wasko thought grief was something you'd eventually get over. Twenty years later, he knows the truth.

At 29, Mike moved in with his dying dad and became his full-time caregiver for the final six months of his life. His father, Bob Wasko, died of esophageal cancer at 57. Mike is now 52.

In this episode, Mike shares what two decades of carrying that loss actually looks like — the anger, the therapy, and the moment he realized "Bob Wasko is alive and well, not far under the surface" in how he parents his own kids.

What we get into:
- Becoming your dying parent's caregiver in your 20s — and what no one prepares you for
- What grief actually costs ("It's the cost of loving someone")
- How loss opens a door to every other wound you've been ignoring
- Watching your father show up in your own parenting — and what to do with that
- Approaching the age your dad died, and what that clock does to a person
- Whether you lost your dad last year or 20 years ago — this one lands.

🎙️ Dead Dads Podcast — a grief support group for men that laughs way too much.

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⏱️Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction: Who Is Mike Wasko?
01:21 – Mike Joins the Pod: 20 Years of Grief
02:34 – Why He's Talking About It Now
04:23 – Meet Bob Wasko: "Larger Than Life"
06:23 – His Dad's Parenting Style: Tough Love & Unconventional Fun
07:25 – The Diagnosis: Six Months, and a Secret to Keep
13:34 – Giving Up His Life to Move In With His Dying Dad
15:12 – The Falling Out — and the Reconciliation That Changed Everything
18:16 – Anger, Therapy, and "The Cost of Loving Someone"
24:50 – Becoming a Dad and Finding His Father in Himself
29:10 – His Kids Ask Why Grandpa Died (and Want to Build a Robot of Him)
31:37 – Approaching the Age His Dad Died
32:28 – Mike's Grief Analogy: The Crater That Never Fills
35:35 – Final Thoughts & Where to Follow

*About Dead Dads*
Dead Dads is a podcast for guys figuring out life after losing their dad.
It’s real conversations about grief, identity, and everything that comes after.
You’re not alone.

*New episodes every other week.*

#DeadDadsPodcast #MensGrief #GriefPodcast