Optimism No Matter What

Gayla and I have been friends since high school. We were teammates on the Lady Jags basketball team and shared many of the same coaches and friends. Once she discovered that I was Brad’s little sister, we spent a lot more time together.

Eventually, Brad and Gayla were married and she became my sister-in-law. A lot has happened in the last 20 years.

I interviewed Gayla just before her current husband Chris started a job that relocated their family. Gayla and Chris are both in their second marriage after being widowed in their 20s. Gayla lost Brad to brain cancer and Chris lost Kristin in a fatal car accident.

We dive right in to her story and the details of Brad’s battle with cancer while raising young kids.

“I had created how things should be in my mind.”

We talk about the isolation that comes from carrying something so heavy that you can’t even find the words to express it, and how it can change your relationships with everyone you know. She shares the great life advice that her father gave to her, the hidden meaning behind her response to “how are you?” and how she has turned grief into meaning and purpose.

We also bring in 2 special guests, Justin and Luke, to talk about their dad and the stories that have shaped their understanding of him. Both play instruments, crack jokes, and are healthy, happy kids.

This episode is deeply personal. It is a labor of love about finding meaning and connection in the midst of incredible grief. It’s about keeping memories alive, living one day at a time, and realizing that our ability to love is infinite.