The Day Everything Fell Apart

Healing Starts with the Heart

🎙️ Episode Summary:

In this unforgettable episode of Healing Starts with the Heart, grief specialist Sharon Brubaker shares the story of the exact moment her life split into “before” and “after.” Through a searingly honest account of the phone call that changed everything—the loss of her nephew Austin—Sharon takes listeners inside the collapse that grief can cause. This isn’t a conversation about “moving on” or checking boxes—it’s a journey through the mess, the silence, and the search for truth. If you’ve had that day—the one where it all fell apart—this episode is for you.

💔 Key Points Discussed:

• The moment grief hit: June 17, 2006—the call that shattered Sharon’s life

• The illusion of “ordinary” before a loss, and the unbearable clarity after

• How the world keeps spinning while your life stops

• The raw, physical, full-body nature of grief

• Society’s failure to understand or support grieving people

• The myth of strength: why being “strong” isn’t always helpful

• Why no one is coming to save you—and how Sharon created the help she needed

• The role of silence, breaking down, and choosing to face the pain head-on

• Why The Grief School and Grief Study Hall were born—from brokenness to building

• The truth: You are not broken. You are grieving. And you don’t have to do it alone.

📝 Journal Questions for Reflection:

• What was the moment that split your life into “before” and “after”?

• How did your body respond to the shock of your loss?

• What lies about grief or “being strong” have you believed or been told?

• Where in your life have you been waiting for someone to save you?

• What truth are you ready to say out loud about your grief?

🔚 Conclusion:

Grief isn’t polite. It doesn’t knock first. It wrecks, rewires, and reshapes everything. But even in the rubble, there is still breath, still hope, and still a path through. If you’ve had that day—the one that broke you—you are not alone. And if no one ever told you: you don’t have to carry this forever. You just have to walk through it. One breath at a time. One truth at a time.

📬 Contact & Community:

Need more support or want to connect with Sharon? 📝 Join Grief Study Hall: Every Tuesday, 1–3 PM CST 📚 Read the Book: Grieve That Sht* — grab it at clickhereforhope.com 📸 Follow Sharon on TikTok: @thegriefschool 💌 Email: [email protected]