The Solo Dad Podcast
The Solo Dad Podcast is for widowed fathers facing the challenge of raising children while grieving the loss of a partner. Each episode explores the raw reality of solo fatherhood through honest conversations, practical advice, and stories from dads who have lived it. It offers guidance, connection, and reassurance for fathers who feel alone. The show aims to help listeners rebuild their lives one day at a time and find strength, purpose, and hope in fatherhood.
Episodes
S5E10 Tom Widowed Dad Raising 3 Kids After Sudden Loss
Four days before Christmas, everything changed.On Saturday, Sarah was bowling with her family. On Sunday, she was making gingerbread houses with her children and watching Santa ride through their neighborhood. By Wednesday morning, she was gone.In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt sits down with Tom, a Philadelphia musician and widowed father of three, to discuss the sudden death of his w
S5E9 He Had Just 17 Days With His Wife - Shane
Seventeen days changed everything.Shane Musgrove came home from a normal work trip expecting dinner and a movie with his wife, Sonia.Instead, a stop at a clinic became a trip to the emergency room.Then came three words:“You have cancer.”Seventeen days later, Sonia was dead.In this deeply personal conversation on the Solo Dad Podcast, Shane walks Matt through the 17 days that changed his family for
S5E8 Kevin - Breathe Through the Grief: Nature, Cold Water, and Becoming Unstuck
What does grief feel like when the person who gave your life direction disappears without warning?In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt talks with golf professional, widower, father, yoga teacher, and Wim Hof Method practitioner Kevin Chin about the sudden death of his wife, Terry, and the tools that helped him survive, rebuild, and become unstuck.Kevin and Terry met through Couchsurfing b
S5E7 Bill - The Empty Side of Our Bed: Love, Caregiving, and Life After Loss
When someone you have loved for decades dies, the love does not end—but the life you shared changes completely.In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt sits down with author and widower Bill Beckett to talk about his wife, Bonnie, their 27 years together, her cancer journey, and the difficult work of learning to live with the empty side of their bed.Bill and Bonnie met online in the early day
S5E7 Zach When the Firehouse Becomes Family: Firefighter and Solo Dad’s Journey Through Loss
What happens when the person who helped you carry everything is suddenly gone?In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt sits down with Zach, a firefighter, widower, and solo father raising his nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter after the death of his wife, Megan.Zach and Megan had been together since high school. What began with him borrowing her answers in an ACT prep class grew in
S5E11 Josh Grief Has Layers: What Comes After the Loss?
You can love someone deeply and still be powerless to save them.Josh spent years serving his country.Then he found himself facing a battle he couldn't solve with training, discipline or determination.His wife and best friend, Corey, was struggling with alcohol.What began with increasing alcohol use eventually became serious physical complications, hospitalizations, mobility loss and a year-an
S5E6 I Was Built for This Moment: Suzie’s Journey Through Loss and Solo Parenting
In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt sits down with Suzie Schumaker for a deeply honest Solo Mom conversation about love, loss, faith, caregiving, and raising kids after the death of a spouse.Suzie shares the story of meeting her husband Eric as kids in their Orthodox church community, building a life together, grieving the loss of their first daughter, and later facing Eric’s cancer diag
S5E5 When Mental Illness Changes the Grief Story: Alicia's Journey, from loss to finding helpers
This episode of the Solo Dad Podcast is a deeply honest Solo Mom conversation with Alicia, whose story moves through love, marriage, parenting, mental illness, separation, suicide loss, and the reality of raising grieving children after trauma.Alicia shares what it was like to love a man whose laugh filled the room, while also slowly watching mental illness change the life they were building. She
S5E4 Participate With Grief: Thank You, Cancer?
In this deeply moving conversation, Danny Leslie joins Matt to talk about love, loss, solo parenting, and the ways grief changes shape over time.Danny reflects on the long road of Raf’s cancer, the heartbreak of becoming the one who had to carry impossible news, and what it has looked like to raise their daughters while keeping her presence alive in everyday family rhythm. He shares how writing, w
S5E3 You Need the Rain to Grow: Love, Cancer, Faith and Grieving as a Solo Parent
In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Dustin Morrow shares the story of how he and Mallie met, built a life together fast, welcomed their son Tristan, and then had everything change when back pain turned into a devastating cancer diagnosis. What followed was a two-year caregiving journey filled with hospital visits, hard conversations, hospice, and the helpless reality of loving someone through
S5E2 Grief, Guilt, and Finding Love Again
Jason opens up about losing his wife Heather unexpectedly, raising a daughter through grief, and the heavy guilt he carried in the years that followed. He shares what helped him heal, including therapy, hard-earned honesty, and learning to put down the things that were numbing the pain instead of helping him face it. The conversation also moves into something many widowed parents wrestle with but
S5E1.2 Twice Widowed, Still Standing (Pt. 2): “It’s Happening Again”—and You Still Have to Parent
What happens when grief doesn’t just visit once—when it repeats? In this conversation, Michael Chapman and Matt talk through the kind of loss that changes your nervous system: sitting in a hospital room watching “a repeat of history,” the exhaustion that makes reality blur, and the moment a nurse gives permission to step away—because sometimes that’s when it happens. They get into the parts people
S5E1 Twice Widowed, Still Standing (Pt. 1): The Quiet After Cancer & the Permission to Move Forward
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Michael Chapman—an author and twice-widowed dad—shares what it’s like to love, lose, and keep showing up. From walking through terminal cancer to the shock of the silence after, Michael opens up about grief waves, “two dates on the calendar,” and the moment he realized moving forward isn’t forgetting—it’s surviving.Book Available here:https://www.amazon.com
S4 E6 Tony From Caregiver to Grief Educator
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
S4 E5 - Courage: Marc's Radical Story on Finding a Cure, For Her, For All
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
When the Rainbow's Hard to See....Become The Rainbow
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
S4E2 CJ Father of 3, Widower by Cancer, and Founder of Unvoiced
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
S4E2 Nadav Widower By Car Accident, a journey from shock to forgiveness and moving forward
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
Season 4 Episode 1 Four Years, moving forward with living
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
Episode 3.3 Abel Keogh Widower Author, Blogger, and Relationship Coach
“It’s different now and that’s OK,” says Abel Keogh, author, blogger, relationship coach and host of YouTube channel Widower Wednesday. Abel became a widower 21 years ago at the age of 26 when his wife took her own life while she was seven months pregnant. He started anonymously blogging during that first year as a widower, sharing his experiences and awkward dating stories. The blog soon took off
Episode 3.2 When and How to Be Ready to Date Again
“I’m worth whatever I think I’m worth,” says Ken, describing the mindset he adopted while beginning to date after losing his wife. Rather than thinking of their widower status as baggage, solo dads who are preparing to date again should remember that if their amazing wives once loved them, then another amazing person will, too. They also agree that knowing what they might have done differently in
Episode 3.1 John S. UK to Canada, Cancer during COVID Dad of 2
“I’m still on a kind of mixed-grief journey, I guess,” says John Smith, father of two, who lost his wife Kathy to colon cancer nearly two years ago. She was diagnosed just as the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 an official emergency. They were living with her parents at the time, and John discusses the challenges he faced with his in-laws in the immediate period following Kathy’s death
Episode 2.12 Jim T. Widowed Twice and Still Standing
“You’re never done with grief,” says Jim T., who has the rare distinction of being twice widowed. His first wife Melinda was killed in a car accident shortly after they moved to Knoxville Tennessee to found an Eastern Orthodox Church there. Melinda’s death brought the new congregation together, who were still relative strangers, as they rallied around Jim in support. He describes the beautiful rit
Episode 2.11 Jay A Widower and Now Mindset Coach
Content warning: this episode talks about suicide and parental/spouse death.“It's not the loss that causes your pain. It's your thoughts and feelings about it,” says Jay Deutsch, who joins the podcast, serendipitously, on the birthday of his late wife, Larissa. Her battles with depression ultimately lead to her taking her own life, leaving Jay a widower with two young children. He discus
Episode 2.10 Dating Again
“You’re not only experimenting with dating, you’re experimenting with your new self,” says Ken Brown as he joins The Solo Dad Podcast along with Ben Janoski to discuss what it means to return to the dating world as young widowers with children. Some of what’s discussed, such as ghosting, how soon to meet in person and getting catfished, will be familiar to anyone navigating the contemporary dating
Episode 2.9 Jo Ann and Mathew: Solo Mom Talks to Solo Dad
Mathew talks to his mother Jo Ann, who became a widow at the age of 37, after Mathew’s father died of a massive heart attack while on a business trip. Jo Ann soon moved Mathew, then 11, and his 6-year-old brother Jonathan from Southern California to Northern California to begin a whole new life. Throughout what was an overwhelming time, Jo Ann encountered many acts of kindness and connection that
Episode 2.8 Girldad Nation Podcast Interview
Solo But Not Alone - Mathew BradleyWhen he lost his wife, Marci, to cancer in 2018, Matt was left to navigate raising his one-year-old daughter, Blair, on his own. Matt reached out to other dads dealing with loss, and in 2021 he launched Solo Dad Podcast. Check out the rest of the interview and all things great about being a father to daughter at https://www.audible.com/pd/Girl-Dad-Nation-Podcast/
Solo Dad Podcast 2.7 Paul and Matt Autism Awareness
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
Episode 2.6 Ben and Matt Dissecting Dads Anger and Frustration
Ben is partaking in - https://drinkspindrift.com/Matt is enjoying - https://oldforgedistillery.com/spirits/moonshine/oatmeal-cookie-moonshine/Anger management ideas:https://www.fatherly.com/anger-management/EMDR - https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/emdr-what-is-it#:~:text=Eye%20movement%20desensitization%20and%20reprocessing%20(EMDR)%20is%20a%20fairly%20new,%2C%20rape%2C%20or%20car%20accidents.Bi
Episode 2.5 Ken and Matt Catch Up
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
2.4 The origin of Solo Dad: How Colorectal Cancer Turned Matt Into a Widower While Becoming a Father
In this deeply personal Widow Wednesday episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt steps into the guest seat to share the story that led him into widowhood, solo parenting, and ultimately the creation of the Solo Dad Podcast community. Recorded during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the episode offers a raw, unfiltered look at caregiving, anticipatory grief, and life after losing a spouse to colorec
Episode 2.2 Widow Wednesday Jeff K. Father of 2 young boys, Ovarian Cancer Widower
Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
Episode 2.1 Chasing Kids and Hitting Walls
Season 2Ben and Matt catch up after taking a much needed break that was extended by injury. Ready for more than just listening? Explore the CLIMB framework and support options at https://solodad.life/
Episode 1.11 Widower Weds Meet Adam - Solo Dad of 3 Young Daughters, Breast Cancer widower
Widow Wednesday - Meet Adam, young father of 3 daughters, made a widower after his wife journey with breast cancer come to an end. He shares is long relationship with loss in his life, early struggles with addiction, all preparing him for the most difficult journey yet. Finding support and community is ways he never imagined. Follow Adam on Tiktok at BeEazyVegito https://www.tiktok.com/@beeazyveg
Episode 1.10.2 Saddest ABC Song Ever, Taking Credit for the Successes, and more Ken, Ben and Matt
Matt, Ben and Ken catch up, talk end of summer trips, beginning of school planning, and how being flexible is paramount in this Solo Dad journey. Talking about how to outsource things we can't do and when NOT to measure yourself against an impossible standard. Find us where ever your ears roam-Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4juZNMsIh5EK5k1QS7pet4?si=5281795548894903-iTunes: https://
1.10.1 Back to School, Back to Grief: Solo Dads on Routines, Triggers, and Moving Forward
In this episode, Matt, Ben, and Ken talk about the real-life collision of solo parenting, grief, and the return to routine. From back-to-school transitions and last-minute childcare scrambles to grief triggers hiding in familiar places and family trips, this conversation captures how loss keeps showing up in everyday moments. They also share what it looks like when kids begin talking about death o
1.9 Solo Parenting Logistics: Camps, School, and the Two-Week Gap Nobody Warns You About
Back-to-school season hits different when you’re solo. In this re-release, Matt and Ben trade stories about the end-of-summer shift—camp schedules, supply lists, and the two-week gap that can wreck childcare plans if you aren’t thinking way ahead. Along the way, they get into what widowed parenting really demands: making big decisions without a partner to “bounce it off,” managing a household that
1.7 When Love Reappears: Attending Weddings After Loss
What happens when not one, but 6 widowed parents walk into a wedding — for the first time in a long time?In this episode, Matt and Ben talk honestly about attending a close friend’s wedding after loss, navigating the emotional landmines of ceremonies, music, vows, and crowded rooms — and discovering something unexpected along the way: hope.They explore:The anxiety of re-entering large social gathe
1.6.2 Solo Parenting in Motion (Part 2): Dating With Kids and the Courage to Be Honest
This is a continuation of Solo Parenting in Motion — moving from travel and rebuilding confidence into one of the hardest next questions widowed parents face:How do you date when kids are involved — without erasing the past or confusing the present?Matt, Ben, and Ken unpack real, unfiltered conversations about:Talking to kids about dating after a parent’s deathWhen (and how) to introduce someone n
1.6 Solo Parenting in Motion: Travel, Grief, and Rebuilding a New Normal
In this candid conversation, Matt, Ben, and Ken unpack what solo parenting looks like in real life after loss—especially when it comes to travel, community, and rebuilding confidence.They talk openly about the fear of leaving kids for the first time, the chaos of airports and road trips as a solo parent, and why showing your children that life still happens is an act of courage, not betrayal. The
1.4 Dating After Loss: Why You Don’t Need to Be “Ready” — Just Honest
In this re-released episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt sits down with Ken to have an honest, unfiltered conversation about dating after the loss of a partner.They talk about loneliness, dating apps, emotional readiness, and why widowed parents often limit themselves without realizing it. More importantly, they explore how grief reshapes perspective — and why finding connection again isn’t betra
1.0 Dating After Loss: When Grief Makes You Emotionally Unavailable
Dating after the death of a partner isn’t just awkward — it’s emotionally complex in ways most people don’t understand.In this re-released episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt and Ben unpack what dating looks like after loss: emotional numbness, grief-based self-protection, parenting logistics, and the invisible weight widowed parents carry into relationships.If you’ve ever wondered “Why does thi
Movie Review: FatherHood What It Gets Right About Solo Parenting
Ben and Matt chat about how Solo parenting after loss creates an illusion of control — and a lot of hidden anxiety. In this re-released episode, we talk about grief, exhaustion, and the pressure to be everywhere at once, using Fatherhood as a jumping-off point for a much deeper conversation.#FatherHoodMovie #KevinHart #TwoKissesForMaddy #SoloDadPodcast#SoloDadLife #WidowedParents #GriefJourney #Pa
1.2 Letting Go Without Falling Apart: Solo Parenting, Grief, and Everyday Anxiety
In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt and Ben have an honest, practical conversation about solo parenting anxiety, the illusion of control after loss, and the slow work of learning to let go. From daycare decisions and COVID bubbles to routines, asking for help, and redefining what really matters, they unpack how grief amplifies anxiety—and why perfection isn’t the goal. This episode is a
1.1 The Grief Crockpot: When Holidays, Dating, and Parenting Collide
In this episode of the Solo Dad Podcast, Matt, Ben, and Ken unpack the emotional landmines of Mother’s Day after loss — from solo parenting and honoring a late spouse to dating again and blending families. Through honest storytelling, humor, and lived experience, they explore why the lead-up to holidays can be harder than the day itself, how kids process grief differently than adults, and why try
The Solo Dad Podcast Intro
The Solo Dad Podcast Where we will talk about grief, grit and getting going again with life after the death of a spouse, partner or significant person in your life. We do so by opening up and sharing stories of love and loss, and how those experiences shape us into the men we are today. Being a Solo Dad, the successes, the chaos, the failures and everything in between. Dating, learning to live an
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