Stolen Goodbyes
Storytelling Podcasts
What do you do when the daily Covid death toll hits 1,820—the UK’s highest—lives reduced to statistics? When loved ones die alone, within days of a cough, last seen walking into an ambulance. No warning. No family. No funeral. No goodbye.
That’s why I created Stolen Goodbyes—an urgent act of journalism to restore humanity to those we lost, and give voice to the extraordinary lives behind the numbers.
What began as a podcast in lockdown has become something deeper: a living archive, a public record, a safe space—a memorial to those who died, and a vital platform for the Covid-bereaved, a still-grieving, often invisible community met with silence, disbelief, or denial.
Each season explores a different facet of pandemic grief: real-time loss, political neglect, love after loss, and the emotional aftershocks. Guests aren’t celebrities—they are spouses, children, partners, and friends. Ordinary people whose loved ones were extraordinary to them and who died during a global crisis that reshaped our world.
We walk through each person’s life—their quirks, jokes, one-liners, habits, triumphs, tragedies, and the legacy they leave behind.
Stolen Goodbyes is more than a podcast. It’s a social history archive, a witness statement, and a deeply personal project that continues to evolve.
Grief doesn’t fade just because the headlines move on. These voices still matter. Stolen Goodbyes continues to say: You were here. You were loved. You will not be forgotten.
To help future generations understand what this moment truly felt like, these testimonies are now preserved in the British Library’s National Life Stories collection, alongside testimonies from Holocaust survivors and other vital witnesses to history.
Launched in 2020 and created on my laptop during lockdown while parenting and working as a journalist, the podcast is fully independent. In 2021, it won Gold at the British Podcast Awards.
Its impact has been profound: helping guests feel seen, sparking unexpected transatlantic friendships, and offering memorials where none existed. One guest said: “This was the only funeral my husband ever had.”
It has been described as:
🟡 “A masterclass in trauma-informed storytelling.” — Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma
🟡 “A true legacy podcast.” — BBC Radio 4
🟡 “Magnificently produced... a cathartic experience.” — Guest
🟡 “A beautifully crafted set of stories... inspiring and important.” — COVID Remembrance Group
And by listeners:
💬 “A delicate subject handled with great sensitivity.”
💬 “A place where I felt seen.”
💬 “Raw, honest, and compassionate—Karen gives a voice to those who had theirs taken away.”
💬 “A testament to our shared humanity.”
In a world eager to move on, Stolen Goodbyes chooses to remember.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Location:
United Kingdom
Genres:
Storytelling Podcasts
Description:
What do you do when the daily Covid death toll hits 1,820—the UK’s highest—lives reduced to statistics? When loved ones die alone, within days of a cough, last seen walking into an ambulance. No warning. No family. No funeral. No goodbye. That’s why I created Stolen Goodbyes—an urgent act of journalism to restore humanity to those we lost, and give voice to the extraordinary lives behind the numbers. What began as a podcast in lockdown has become something deeper: a living archive, a public record, a safe space—a memorial to those who died, and a vital platform for the Covid-bereaved, a still-grieving, often invisible community met with silence, disbelief, or denial. Each season explores a different facet of pandemic grief: real-time loss, political neglect, love after loss, and the emotional aftershocks. Guests aren’t celebrities—they are spouses, children, partners, and friends. Ordinary people whose loved ones were extraordinary to them and who died during a global crisis that reshaped our world. We walk through each person’s life—their quirks, jokes, one-liners, habits, triumphs, tragedies, and the legacy they leave behind. Stolen Goodbyes is more than a podcast. It’s a social history archive, a witness statement, and a deeply personal project that continues to evolve. Grief doesn’t fade just because the headlines move on. These voices still matter. Stolen Goodbyes continues to say: You were here. You were loved. You will not be forgotten. To help future generations understand what this moment truly felt like, these testimonies are now preserved in the British Library’s National Life Stories collection, alongside testimonies from Holocaust survivors and other vital witnesses to history. Launched in 2020 and created on my laptop during lockdown while parenting and working as a journalist, the podcast is fully independent. In 2021, it won Gold at the British Podcast Awards. Its impact has been profound: helping guests feel seen, sparking unexpected transatlantic friendships, and offering memorials where none existed. One guest said: “This was the only funeral my husband ever had.” It has been described as: 🟡 “A masterclass in trauma-informed storytelling.” — Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma 🟡 “A true legacy podcast.” — BBC Radio 4 🟡 “Magnificently produced... a cathartic experience.” — Guest 🟡 “A beautifully crafted set of stories... inspiring and important.” — COVID Remembrance Group And by listeners: 💬 “A delicate subject handled with great sensitivity.” 💬 “A place where I felt seen.” 💬 “Raw, honest, and compassionate—Karen gives a voice to those who had theirs taken away.” 💬 “A testament to our shared humanity.” In a world eager to move on, Stolen Goodbyes chooses to remember. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Twitter:
@ricekmc
Language:
English
Contact:
00447473898007
Website:
https://www.karen-rice.com/
Email:
stolengoodbyes@gmail.com
Episodes
The Disconnect Between the World's Perception of the Pandemic & the Searing & Troubling Reality of Covid Grief
3/24/2025
In this special 5th anniversary episode of Stolen Goodbyes, Karen speaks with five incredible guests—Emma, Jane, Kristie, Sioux, and Brielle—about their ongoing journeys with COVID-19 grief. Each guest shares the heartbreaking details of losing their loved ones to the pandemic, including the pain of not being able to say goodbye, the trauma of key dates, and the overwhelming challenges of grief. They discuss the unspoken struggles of living through a time when the world moved on, while their grief remained. From feelings of guilt, anger, and isolation to seeking counseling and navigating life’s triggers, this emotional episode uncovers the lasting impact of the pandemic on the lives of the bereaved. They reflect on the emotional scars of COVID-19, the lack of public recognition, and the toll the loss has taken on both them and their children. Through their stories, they show how resilience, love, and hope can emerge from even the darkest moments.
Guest Details:
Emma Charlesworth: Lost her husband, Stuart "Charlie" Charlesworth, aged 45, to COVID-19 in March 2020.
Jane Smith: Lost her husband, Goff, aged 53, to COVID-19 in April 2020.
Sioux Hill: Lost her father, John Leigh, aged 72, to COVID-19 in April 2020.
Brielle Adams: Lost her adoptive father, Leo Adams, aged 85, to COVID-19 in March 2020.
Kristie Cervantes: Lost her husband, Rey, aged 42, to COVID-19 in December 2020.
Listen to their episodes on the award-winning Stolen Goodbyes podcast:
Podlink: https://pod.link/1535766859
Websites:
https://karen-rice.com/podcast/
https://shows.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes
Instagramhttps://bit.ly/3ITXSFC
X.Ricekmc
Facebook
https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG
Linked in
www.linkedin.com/in/kmcmedia
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:55:16
Stolen Goodbyes: 5 Years On – An Interview with host and creator Karen Rice
3/18/2025
Five years after launching Stolen Goodbyes, host Karen Rice reflects on the podcast’s journey in a special anniversary interview with her cousin Samantha. She shares the inspiration behind the series, the impact of giving a voice to the bereaved, and what she’s learned along the way. Plus, a look ahead to the next episode, where six past guests reveal what COVID grief is really like now—how it’s been forgotten by the world, yet remains deeply complex, raw, and unresolved. A must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the lasting impact of pandemic loss.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:20:48
Love After Covid Loss: Emma Charlesworth’s Journey from Heartbreak to Healing
12/24/2024
In this final episode of Love After Covid Loss, part of the Stolen Goodbyes podcast series, Emma Charlesworth returns to the show. Emma first opened the podcast in 2020, sharing her journey as a widow at just 39 after losing her husband, Charlie, to Covid-19. Charlie was only 45 when he passed.
In this poignant and articulate interview, Emma reflects on her journey, from those first anguished, shocking days when Charlie left in an ambulance with a cough and never came home to navigating life as a lone parent to their then bereaved 10-year-old daughter, who lost her hero dad. Emma shares how she has come to terms with a future she never chose as she steels herself for the upcoming five-year anniversary of the pandemic in March 2025.
She also speaks about finding joy again, welcoming a new member of the family—a Cavapoo dog named Oreo—who has brought a sparkle back into her daughter’s eyes. Incredibly strong and resilient, Emma cherishes Charlie’s memory while fundraising in his honor. She also acknowledges the importance of taking time for herself and honoring her own needs.
Emma reminds us that while grief never truly gets easy, it does become less hard over time. Her story is one of love, loss, and finding hope in the most challenging circumstances.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:47:05
From Fairy Tale to Despair to Loving Again - My Life with Michael and Ryan by Rebecca Reilly
12/17/2024
In this emotional yet uplifting episode of Stolen Goodbyes, host Karen Rice speaks with Rebecca Reilly from New Jersey, who shares her remarkable journey of love, loss, and finding hope again after unimaginable tragedy.
Rebecca lost her “rough tough cream puff” husband Michael, a devoted father of two, to COVID-19, in December 2020. Just 47 years old, Michael fell ill and tragically passed away within 24 hours of showing symptoms. Rebecca opens up about the overwhelming grief of losing her best friend so suddenly and the crushing realisation that their shared future was gone.
She bravely discusses the PTSD that continues to haunt her—flashbacks of the frantic hospital dash to be by Michael’s side before he breathed his last, and the helplessness of not being able to save him.
Four months later, in one of her darkest moments, Rebecca made the choice to celebrate what would have been their wedding anniversary, a poignant decision that led to an unexpected encounter with her now-partner, Ryan.
In a candid conversation, Rebecca and Ryan talk about the ups and downs of their relationship and the challenges of navigating grief while opening up to new love. Despite the skeptics, they're still together, thanks to their ability to listen to one another and open communication.
Rebecca shares her joy: “I get to be in love with the two most amazing men in the world.” Ryan describes their bond as "my best relationship to date—I love raising her babies and looking after her.”
This episode is a powerful testament to the human spirit: how love can persist, evolve, and reappear in the most surprising ways, even after profound loss.
Tune in to hear Rebecca’s story of resilience, the complexities of love after loss, and the beauty of finding light in the darkest moments.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:50:36
Elephants, White Roses, and Love After Covid Loss: Victoria's Tribute to Her Dad David Daniels
12/10/2024
In this tender and bittersweet episode of Stolen Goodbyes, Karen Rice speaks with Victoria Daniels, 25, from Hertfordshire, about her cherished memories of her late father, David, a jack the lad and an animal-loving man, who tragically died from COVID-19 on January 2, 2021, at the age of just 69.
Although her father suffered two strokes and dementia before the pandemic, Victoria’s words reveal the enduring bond between them. She recalls David’s protective and caring nature, likening him to his favourite animal, the elephant—known for their fierce loyalty and devotion to family.
Victoria shares the profound difficulties of caregiving, including her father’s loss of mobility and sight, and the anguish she felt knowing he was COVID-free until being hospitalised in the pandemic. She recounts the confusion and fear her dad experienced in the hospital and the unresolved pain of Watford General Hospital denying that he contracted COVID-19 in their care.
After years of anger and grief, Victoria has embraced new love and joy in her life. She is now engaged to her partner, Vincent, who shares heartwarming similarities with her father, such as his infectious laugh, strength, and love of cuddles. Victoria reflects on the bittersweet nature of finding love after loss—feeling her father’s absence in her life and at her upcoming wedding but honouring his memory with his favourite white roses.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:32:08
Remembering Bob Pape: From Technicolor Love to Fostering New Beginnings
12/3/2024
In this moving episode, Amanda Pape shares how her life was once "Technicolor" with laughter, love, and adventure, alongside her larger-than-life husband Bob. But after his sudden death from Covid, age 53, life became like a "12-inch black-and-white TV"—a stark, difficult existence. Through fostering two children, Amanda has brought color back into her world, rebuilding a new, joyful family.
Amanda also reflects on Bob's enduring philosophy: "Happiness is wanting what you get, not getting what you want." This wisdom has been her anchor through grief and rebuilding, and she finds comfort in knowing that, as Bob always said, "If I died tomorrow, I'd die a happy man."
This poignant episode is a tribute to Bob’s unforgettable spirit, and Amanda’s inspiring journey of finding joy and purpose again.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:59:02
Kristie Cervantes: Love, Loss, and a Beautiful Tomorrow
11/26/2024
In this heartfelt episode, we hear from Kristie Cervantes, a 45-year-old teacher from Illinois, USA, as she recounts her journey through unimaginable loss and the discovery of love again. Kristie lost her beloved husband, Rey, in December 2020 to COVID-19. Just 42 years old, Rey was a devoted father of two, a special education teacher, and a man with a heart as big as his infectious laugh. He brought joy to everyone around him and lived for the moments he shared with his family, from dad-and-mom dates to surprise trips like the one to Disneyland shortly before his passing.
Kristie describes how Rey’s death turned her world upside down. Walking around like a zombie for months, she struggled to face life without him. She shares her fears of bringing him to the hospital, knowing the grim reality for many, and the devastating moment when he told her over the phone that he was dying. Kristie reflects on the impossible task of telling her children their father wasn’t coming home.
As time passed, she found the strength to begin healing. Seven months later, she met Jorge, a man who shared her understanding of grief through his blog. Their connection, sparked by shared loss, blossomed into love. Kristie candidly discusses what it’s like to love two people, comparing it to the way a parent’s heart grows with the birth of a second child.
Through her journey, Kristie has embraced counselling, tackled grief head-on, and learned the value of “just being.” She reminds us that even in the darkest moments, hope and healing are possible. Her belief in a “big, beautiful tomorrow” inspires others navigating loss and rebuilding their lives.
Tune in for Kristie’s poignant story of resilience, love, and the enduring power of hope.
Listen now on your favourite podcast platform.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:54:38
The Two Crusaders Lynda & Charles: Love and Advocacy After Loss
11/18/2024
The second part of Lynda Wardley’s story on Stolen Goodbyes is an inspiring narrative of love and resilience. After the profound loss of her father, Robin, Lynda found an unexpected connection with Charles Persinger, a fellow campaigner she met through their shared work with COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK. Their relationship blossomed from a shared space of grief and activism, turning into a beautiful partnership built on mutual respect and understanding.
Lynda shares how she was initially drawn to Charles' bravery, resilience, and strength—qualities that shone through in the things he shared online. What began as conversations about their mutual losses and interests soon grew into deeper connections via phone calls, video chats, and eventually in-person meetings. Together, they overcame the fear of new beginnings to create what Lynda describes as a "truly joyful place" full of laughter and love.
Importantly, their love story includes honouring the memory of Charles' wife, Katie, who passed away from COVID-19. Lynda reflects on the profound truth that "I wouldn’t know Charles if it wasn’t for Katie," highlighting the importance of keeping their loved ones’ legacies alive.
Lynda's reflections on finding new growth after catastrophic loss offer hope to others navigating grief. She emphasises the importance of listening to that growth and allowing happiness to re-enter life, affirming that it is indeed possible to rebuild joy after unimaginable pain. Her story is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of connection.
This episode continues to spotlight the intertwined journeys of grief, love, and activism, inspiring listeners with its message of hope and transformation.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:23:23
Love After Covid Loss: Robin's Legacy: A Daughter’s Tribute to Love, Resilience, and Advocacy
11/12/2024
In this touching two-parter, we meet Lynda Wardley, a compassionate woman with a powerful story of love, loss, and resilience. Lynda, 59, opens up about her vibrant father, Robin, whom she lost to Covid in January 2021. In this first episode, she paints a vivid portrait of Robin, a meticulous maker and car enthusiast whose life was full of colour, intelligence, and energy.
Lynda’s childhood memories brim with moments by her dad’s side—perched on the hood of a car he was repairing, or packing a camping rucksack with precision, thanks to his RAF training. When Robin retired to France, he embraced life to the fullest, enjoying the thrill of fancy cars and French romances. However, Lynda also shares the difficult period when Robin's health declined due to dementia, leading to struggles with the French healthcare system and a painful journey to bring him back to the UK, where he thrived once again under familiar care.
The onset of the pandemic then brought new heartbreak. Robin, residing in a care home, was isolated from loved ones. Lynda fought tirelessly as part of the Rights for Residents campaign, advocating for patient-family connection and was ultimately able to be by her father's side in his final moments. She later found solace and solidarity in the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, where she connected with Charles Persinger, a fellow member who would become her partner, bonded through shared loss and compassion.
Join us for an intimate journey with Lynda as she honours her father’s legacy, while next week’s episode reveals how her connection with Charles blossomed into something truly beautiful amidst grief.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:01:01:51
Love After Covid Loss: Finding Hope in the Wake of Covid Tragedy
11/5/2024
In this moving episode, we sit down with Charles Persinger, 59, from Swindon, who shares his powerful journey through loss, resilience, and rediscovery of love. Charles opens up about the unimaginable heartbreak of losing his mother, Susan (74), and his wife, Katie (51), both to Covid, within just six weeks of each other. He describes the depths of grief he faced, losing the two most important women in his life, and how he eventually made a choice that changed everything: to choose love over fear.
Through the Covid 19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, Charles found a community where he could channel his anger and determination for accountability and healing. It was here he met Lynda, who had also suffered a devastating loss—her father to Covid. Their shared experiences and mutual support blossomed into a new relationship, giving them both a chance at love and companionship amidst the tragedy.
Charles reflects on his journey from profound loss to love, saying that “the human capacity to love is endless, no matter what we’ve been through.” By joining forces with others who shared his grief, he not only found support but also helped lay the groundwork for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, a significant step toward justice and remembrance for those lost.
His message to listeners is one of courage and hope: “Don't underestimate your capacity to love. Be brave.” Charles’s story reminds us that even in the darkest times, we can find strength, purpose, and the possibility of new beginnings.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:27:39
Love After Covid Loss: The How and Why of Grief with Kayleigh O'Connor
10/29/2024
In the opening episode of this new series of Stolen Goodbyes, entitled Love After Covid Loss, we sit down with grief coach and nervous system practitioner Kayleigh O’Connor (@goodgrief_uk) for a profound conversation on navigating life and new beginnings after a Covid-related loss.
Episode highlights include:
Grief’s Impact on Safety and Identity: Kayleigh explains how grief shakes a person’s sense of safety and self, leaving many wondering who they are without their loved one.
Rebuilding Safety Through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Grief, especially after Covid-19, often requires reestablishing basic emotional security.
Balancing Connection and Solitude: Grieving often involves needing both connection and time alone.
Managing Triggers and Boundaries: Kayleigh discusses practical ways to set boundaries that help protect emotional well-being.
Navigating Love After Loss: For those who’ve found new love after a Covid-related loss, complex emotions can arise. Kayleigh explores how to reconcile loving two people—one present and one missed.
Expanding the “Invisible Container” of Grief.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:48:58
Chris Riley
5/30/2023
In this powerful interview, Danielle Barnett charts the life of her wonderfully resilient dad Chris Riley, who despite the most challenging and heartbreaking circumstances, worked six days a week to give his daughters a loving home and a happy, memorable childhood.
Widowed without warning and with four daughters to raise under the age of eight, Chris kept the family together despite the best efforts of social services.
But when the pandemic broke years later, being self-employed and with no help available from the government, this most beloved dad felt he had no choice but to return to work. His daughters pleaded with him not to go back: “What if you catch Covid and you die?”
Losing her dad in such a ‘torturous’ way has scarred Danielle, leaving her battling complicated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, whose effects are devastating.
In this episode, Danielle celebrates her dad’s enormous legacy, a man with the kindest soul, who if you needed something, would be there in a heartbeat.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:59:21
Peter Owen
5/23/2023
If Boris Johnson had locked down earlier, Peter Owen would still be alive today, this is the firm belief of his daughter Becky. Instead, this beloved father and grandfather caught Covid 19 shopping in Sainsbury’s on March 19, three days before Johnson belatedly put the country into lockdown.
Becky vividly describes the void left behind by the death of her father, a proud Welshman from Aberystwyth who “always made time for people.”
Equally as powerful is her description of the surreality of his death and feelings of distorted grief because all the rituals that usually go with death were denied.
“I have nothing in my head to say that it’s really happened,” Becky explains. “I’ve gone from seeing my dad before lockdown to seeing a pot of ash, there was nothing in between. That’s a pretty abnormal thing
“There was no proof that he died. I have no idea where he died, what the hospital ward looked like that he was on, or the bed, I don’t know where he was cremated, I don’t know any of the circumstances around his death.” Heartbreakingly, the nature of his death meant: “I’ve no idea what his last words to me were meant to be.”
As with so many people in the Covid-19 bereaved community, Becky has only recently faced her loss and grief: “Coming out of lockdown was very difficult. I felt if I stayed in lockdown, he might somehow come back again and I wouldn’t be leaving him behind.”
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:43:54
Pete Levy
5/16/2023
In a beautiful and wide-ranging interview, Sam Levy brilliantly articulates how distorted grief is impacting her world three years after the love of her life Pete died in the blink of an eye. “His life ended and nothing happened,” Sam says. “I can say I’m a widow, but I don’t believe what I’m saying, it’s just a word. Knowing and understanding that he’s gone are two different things.”
Sam walks us through the colourful and fun life she shared with Pete, a larger-than-life, funny, grumpy, loveable, cider-loving character who sometimes liked to shock with his potty mouth.
Sam also explores the importance of voice recordings, legacy, and how: “It warms my soul to see him in my dreams.”
This is a must-listen episode for anyone who is experiencing Covid grief and for anyone who is interested in people and life stories.
Sam is the founder of the Covid Bereavement Support Group on Facebook.
Credit The Cure, Love Song.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:41:58
Anne & David Morrison
5/9/2023
As a couple, Anne and David Morrison, 71, did everything together, living life their way, never letting obstacles stand in the way.
But their plans to retire to Australia were never realised after David was hospitalised with Covid 19 in early 2020. Worried sick about her husband, Anne, who had received the all-clear from cancer a year earlier, died at home from sudden death on April 7. On hearing he’d lost his lifelong partner, David died from a Covid-induced heart attack 10 hours later.
In this episode, their only son Paul Morrison bravely tells how he struggled to fill the void left behind by his parents, battling feelings of guilt, anxiety, and reliving torturous moments from the past.
In an inspiring story of redemption, Paul describes how he brought himself back from the brink, recovering from a year-long illness, quitting alcohol, and embracing exercise in order to: “find the new version of me…I am doing it for my parents…and I will get there.”
Credit Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:37:45
Anna Gibson
5/2/2023
Treasured by her family, Anna Gibson may have been 94 but she was still a feisty, independent, and private personality who loved nothing more than being outdoors.
But after a fall, Anna was admitted to a care home where her daughter Ruth believes she was denied basic care when the Covid 19 pandemic broke out.
In a heartbreaking interview, Ruth explains how she has been left traumatised and haunted by her mother’s treatment and her own subsequent fight for the truth. Miscommunication meant Ruth missed out on seeing her mum in ‘window visits’ at the care home for four whole months. When there were Skype calls via a computer, Anna’s hearing aids weren’t fitted for the calls.
When Covid hit, Anna could only look longingly at the outside world. When the care home took food away from her, Anna was so upset that she refused all care, Ruth explains. And when Ruth got a call to quickly come and see her mum to say goodbye, Ruth later discovered her mum had already been dead for almost two hours when the care home called.
Today, more than two years later, Ruth says there is no transparency, no answers and so many inconsistencies she can’t get to the truth of what happened to a mother who ‘always had my back.’ But Ruth will continue to fight until she can piece together the complete picture of what happened to her mother in her final months when she believes she received no medical or palliative care or dignity in care.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:59:42
Sucha Singh Hothi & Gurdev Kaur Hothi
4/25/2023
It may be just over two years since Rab Sherwood lost her beloved parents father Sucha Singh Hothi, 85, and mother Gurdev Kaur Hothi, 75, to Covid 19, but this double loss combined with the manner of the loss and the family’s brutal treatment in hospital still haunts Rab.
Emigrants from Punjab in India to the British midlands in 1965, Sucha was forced to work in a factory despite being a qualified lawyer, qualifications not recognised in the UK. These incredibly hard-working, family-orientated and honest people, made a good life for themselves and their four children who they encouraged to aim high in life.
But this precious family unit is bereft after witnessing how their parents were left dehydrated, hungry, and allowed to die alone in a hospital even though they deserved the very best of care. Instead of being apprised of how her parents were progressing, Rab was repeatedly confronted with aggressive demands to sign Do Not Resuscitate forms, while learning that anyone over the age of 75 with one health condition didn’t qualify for intensive care treatment.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:35:35
John Leigh
4/18/2023
With a career as an RAF engineer, and a vast vinyl collection comprising Vera Lynn to the Sex Pistols, John Leigh may have been an unconventional father but he left behind some unforgettable memories for his daughters.
In this episode, Sioux Hill brings her dad’s memory to life through music, a passion they shared from her childhood days through to adulthood.
Sioux walks us through their special relationship, the hardship she suffered losing her dad to Covid 19, and the subsequent surreality of his loss, with Downing Street throwing two parties on the one-year anniversary of her dad’s passing on the 16th of April 2021.
Compassionate like her father, Sioux’s happy place is the National Covid Memorial Wall where she was among the first Covid bereaved to paint thousands of hearts in the 10 days after the public mural was started on 29 March 2021. Sioux spends Father’s day and her dad’s birthdays at the wall as well as carrying out requests for people who want their loved ones remembered on the wall.
When she isn’t caring for four children with disabilities, Sioux finds her well-being in music while summoning the energy for activism, also campaigning for the Names Not Numbers group.
Music credits:
'An Honest Mistake' - The Bravery.
Rupert The Bear theme song, written by Len Beadle (also known as Frank Weston) and Ron Roker. Song recorded by Jackie Lee Music.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:28:51
The MacVicars
4/11/2023
It is a testament to Alastair MacVicar's strength of character, that he is alive and well in the world today, improving the lives of others.
In the space of just 14 days, he lost his mother Jean, father Keith, and eldest sister Jayne to Covid 19. Alastair also lost his mother-in-law soon after. Then it was his turn. Covid 19 left him unable to string a sentence together. Alastair feared death. Then came an AstraZeneca vaccination, which left him with blood clots on both lungs. He recovered slowly but will be on blood-thinning medication for the rest of his life.
Everybody knew the MacVicars of Branston where they ran the local newsagents for 45 years, selling liquorice Catherine Wheels, fireworks and second-hand goods among other things. Now they'll be known further afield with the publication of this inspirational interview, part of Alastair's mission to honour his parents and sister by promoting his family as much as he can and fulfilling his mother's dying wish to: share your love, be kind, and each day, do a good deed.
Alastair has the chance to fulfil his plans unlike his sister Jayne who despite selling her house in Lincolnshire, never got to fulfil her dream of moving to France to live by the sea, thanks to Covid 19. Like her parents, she never had a funeral. To add insult to injury, the crematorium failed to realise that Jayne had been cremated without her family's knowledge weeks earlier, something that devastated her two sons and family.
Alastair also relates how distorted grief has left him unable to cry despite his enormous loss and that the surreality of losing almost half his family in such a short time without any death rituals means he still goes to drive to his parent's house for a cuppa and a toasted teacake three years after their deaths before realising that the house now belongs to someone else.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:44:06
Chris Cooper
4/4/2023
A singing prison officer, Rachael Lidgett finds solace in song following the loss of her role model dad Chris who she lost to Covid in December 2020. Growing up, her dad was her biggest singing champion, and she treats listeners to a soulful rendition of the songs that mean the most to her now, and how they help her to express her emotions.
From his legendary Sunday roast dinners with loads of gravy, Beangate, his work ethic, to him walking into Accident and Emergency in his navy blue dressing gown, to him being buried in his ubiquitous red loafer shoes on route "in his rocket to the stars," Rachael takes us on a memorable walk through life with her father and the surreality of his death to Covid 19.
Following his passing, Rachael petitioned the government to make the 23rd of March a bank holiday as a way to remember all the lives lost to Covid 19. In June 2021, the government responded by saying it was considering the most appropriate way to remember those who lost their lives to Covid but that it had no plans to create a bank holiday. Almost two years later, the government has offered nothing to mark the massive loss of life to Covid 19 in the UK.
Created, produced, and hosted by Karen Rice, the Stolen Goodbyes podcast won gold in the fiercely competitive Best Lockdown category of the British Podcast Award 2021.
Stolen Goodbyes is described as: "outstanding ethical and trauma-informed journalism. Karen Rice manages to capture a historic event in real-time by listening with empathy. Future generations will listen to this podcast and know what it felt like to live through this pandemic." Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma.
Please listen to, review, and share this podcast with your network, it really helps!
If you would like to make a donation (no matter how small) to the running costs of this passion project, please visit: https://karen-rice.com/podcast/ or http://bit.ly/3kMSKLg
You can follow Karen on Twitter @Ricekmc and Stolen Goodbyes on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ITXSFC Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kGGwnG and Youtube: http://bit.ly/3Yq0jW5
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/stolen-goodbyes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:56:49