The Podcast
A Podcast for Living After Child Loss
Hosted by bereaved parents Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn, this show offers honest, compassionate conversations about life after child loss, long-term grief, healing, and learning how to keep living while carrying profound loss. Together, Bruce and Kristin create a space where grief does not need to be explained, and where parents can feel understood, supported, and less alone.
Where this began
It Began With A Podcast
What started as a way to process grief became something more.
After the loss of his daughter, Bruce Barker began recording the Don't Forget To Breathe podcast as a way to make sense of life after child loss. It was never created to teach, fix, or rush grief, but to sit with it honestly, speak it out loud, and begin healing through conversation and connection.
Over time, those conversations opened the door for others. Bereaved parents began sharing their own stories, finding comfort in the shared language of loss and the reassurance that they were not alone. The podcast also became a place for spouses, family members, friends, and supporters to better understand what it means to walk beside someone carrying profound grief.
What began as one father's personal path through loss has grown into a space where grief is met with presence, compassion, and understanding, for parents navigating life after child loss, and for those who care deeply for them.
At the heart of this work
The Voices of Parents
At the heart of this work are the voices of parents.
Each story shared on the podcast comes from a place of deep love and lived experience. These are not scripted conversations or polished narratives, they are real, honest reflections from parents navigating life after the loss of a child.
In a world where grief is often misunderstood or silenced, these voices create space for truth. They speak to the complexity of loss, the weight of what has changed, and the ways parents continue to carry their children forward.
For those listening, there is something powerful in hearing another parent say what you have felt but could not put into words. It brings connection, validation, and a quiet reminder that you are not alone in this.
These stories are not shared to fix grief. They are shared to honor it, and to remind every parent that their voice, their story, and their child matter.
Share your story
Would You Like to Be a Guest?
Every episode begins with a parent willing to speak honestly about life after loss. If you feel ready to share your child's story, we would be honored to hold that space with you. There is no script and no pressure, only an open, compassionate conversation whenever the time feels right for you.
Reach out about being a guest →Latest episode · September 5, 2026
Erin Blechman (part 1): More Than How He Died
From a listener
"This podcast is the real ups and downs of child loss — for those who have, those who may, and those who want to support. It’s authentic."
— soulshine33, Apple Podcasts review · 5 stars
Recent episodes
Where to start
Episode · August 29, 2026
Moms Retreat Reunion: Finding Connection After Child Loss
Get in touch What happens when a group of mothers who have experienced the death of a child step away from everyday life and into the mountains together? In t…
Episode · August 9, 2026
The song, Don’t Forget to Breathe
Get in touch Don’t Forget To Breathe I still talk to you in empty rooms In the silence and the Sunday afternoons Some days I laugh Some days I break Some …
Episode · August 2, 2026
Season 4 Wrap and Don't Forget To Breathe song
Get in touch As Season 4 comes to a close, Bruce Barker reflects on an unforgettable year of conversations, courage, and connection. In this special solo epis…
The archive
All 48 episodes
- — Who Am I After Child Loss
- — Marissa's Story: Healing Isn't Betrayal, Even When It Feels That Way
- — Grief in Their Words: Voices That understand Child Loss
- — A New Chapter: Introducing the Don't Forget To Breathe Foundation
- — One Breath at a Time with John DeDakis
- — Scott's Story: A Father’s Journey Through Loss, Love and Living Again
- — I Don't Know What To Say to a Grieving Parent (part 2)
- — I Don't Know What To Say to a Grieving Parent (part 1)
- — Jamie & Cooper's Story (part 2): A Brother's Grief After Sudden Loss
- — Jamie & Cooper's Story (part 1): Heart Rocks and Mom Armor
- — You Can't Fix This
- — Tammy's Story: A Mother's Day Without Him
- — When Joy Feels Like Betrayal
- — Gina's Story (part 2): Love, Impact, and the Unthinkable
- — Gina's Story (part 1): Love, Impact, and the Unthinkable
- — What Death Does Not Take
- — Natalie's Story: When Grief and Joy Exist Together
- — All The Empty Rooms Documentary; A Reflection on Grief and Love
- — The Shattered Future: The Invisible Loss (Part 2)
- — The Shattered Future: The Invisible Loss (Part 1)
- — Why Time Doesn’t Heal the Loss, But What Might Help (Part 3)
- — Why Time Doesn’t Heal the Loss, But What Might Help (Part 2)
- — Why Time Doesn’t Heal the Loss, But What Might Help (Part 1)
- — Season 4: Roadmap For Grieving Parents
- — You Get It: Grief, Healing & Connection
- — Child Loss, Grief, and Healing: Season 3 Recap
- — Kristin's Story (part 2): Loss, Compassion, and Showing Up for Others
- — Kristin's Story (part 1): Loss, Compassion, and Showing Up for Others
- — The Holidays After Child Loss: Grief, Memory, and Survival
- — Loss, Grief, and Healing: A Conversation with Sheila Johnson Wilson
- — Marnie's Story (part3): Child Loss, Love, and Life After Loss
- — Marnie's Story (part 2): Child Loss, Love, and Life After Loss
- — Marnie's Story (part 1): Child Loss, Love, and Life After Loss
- — Did You Really Just Say That?-Revisited - E310
- — A Father's Reflection on Child Loss: 7,595 Days with Kristen - E309
- — Coming Back to the Mic to Talk Grief and Loss
- — Season 3 Preview: Parent Stories of Child Loss, Grief, and Life After Loss
- — Entering a New Year While Grieving a Child
- — The Firsts After Child Loss: Facing Life Without Your Child
- — A Randomly Planned Tapestry: Making Sense of Life After Child Loss
- — Don't Forget To Breathe: An Experience That Changed Everything
- — Planning a Child's Funeral: The Funeral Home Experience
- — The Moment Everything Changed: Shock After Losing a Child
- — Introduction: A Parent's Journey Through Child Loss and Grief