Weaving Happiness Through Grief with Stephanie Duran

Season 1 | Episode 20: Turning Pain Into Purpose

After navigating the heartbreak of loss and the quiet of what came after, Stephanie finds herself at a pivotal turning point: the decision to transform grief into meaningful action. In this episode, she shares how the spark of purpose returned through a simple invitation from her niece, to run a half marathon together. What began as a commitment to a race quickly evolved into something much more. Stephanie trained with intention, mapping out a plan not only for her body, but for her heart. She dedicated her race to Jeff’s memory and raised funds for the Cam Neely House, the very place that once gave them peace and support during their most difficult moments.
Stephanie reflects on how running reignited her spirit, and how a solo trip to the Caribbean, equal parts terrifying and empowering, helped her reclaim parts of herself she hadn’t seen in years. From scattering Jeff’s ashes in the waves to leaping onto a catamaran solo, this episode is a journey of courage, vulnerability, and freedom. Through travel, movement, and quiet moments of reflection, Stephanie shares how she slowly began living again not in spite of her pain, but because of the love it left behind. “Turning Pain Into Purpose” is a testament to resilience, healing, and the beautiful truth that we can build something meaningful out of the pieces grief leaves us.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 19: Finding My Identity Again

After losing the love of her life, Stephanie found herself in an emotional fog, grappling not only with grief, but with the question so many face after loss: Who am I now? In this episode, she opens up about the first six to nine months following Jeff’s passing, when the roles that once defined her-partner, caretaker, advocate, were suddenly gone. She shares the slow, tender process of rediscovering herself without him, while honoring the version of her that had been forever changed by love and loss.
From unexpected solo moments in Vegas to conversations with strangers who shared in her pain, Stephanie reflects on what it meant to take gentle steps forward, accepting invitations, confronting emotional triggers, and most importantly, allowing joy to return. She vulnerably explores the inner conflict of feeling happiness again: the guilt, the second-guessing, and the realization that honoring Jeff’s memory didn’t mean silencing her own healing. This episode is a beautiful reminder that grief and growth often walk hand in hand and that reclaiming your identity after loss is a powerful act of love, not only for the person you’ve lost, but for yourself.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 18: Celebration of Love and Finding Peace

In this emotionally tender episode, Stephanie shares the events that followed Jeff’s passing and the conscious choices she made to honor his life and their love. Rather than defaulting to a traditional funeral, she created something deeply personal: a celebration of love. With music, candles, a soft pink and white setting, and meaningful rituals like lighting candles to represent each of their blended family members, Stephanie transformed grief into a sacred remembrance. Friends and family gathered not in mourning, but in connection, reminded that love still lingered in the room.
Stephanie also shares the quiet and sacred experience of bringing Jeff’s ashes to Big Sur, one of their most cherished places and how it became a healing, private moment of peace. The drive up the California coast, the music they used to dance to, and the waves crashing below all converged in a ceremony that was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. This episode offers a heartfelt reminder that honoring a loved one doesn’t have to follow tradition, it can be as unique and intentional as the love you shared. It’s about creating space for beauty even in goodbye, and finding peace one gentle moment at a time.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 17: Dying With Dignity

In this profoundly intimate episode, Stephanie invites us into the final chapter of her once-in-a-lifetime love story with Jeff. After years of fighting valiantly through cancer, pain, and loss of quality of life, Jeff made the brave decision to end his suffering through California’s Dying With Dignity Act. With deep compassion, Stephanie shares the day he looked at her and simply said, “Honeybee, today is the day.” What followed was a heartbreaking but beautiful final few hours, filled with love, music, flowers, and sacred presence, as they prepared for Jeff’s peaceful transition.
Stephanie reflects on the quiet courage it took to support the man she loved in the most selfless act imaginable: letting him go on his own terms. From setting the scene with candles and a custom playlist to honoring his final wishes with tenderness and grace, this episode explores the complexity of love, loss, and letting someone die with dignity. It’s a story of strength, heartbreak, and deep humanity, a reminder that real love holds space not only for life, but also for a gentle goodbye.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 16: Letting Go

In this heart-wrenching and deeply courageous episode, Stephanie shares the unthinkable reality of reaching the point where loving someone means being willing to let them go. After years of fighting Jeff’s cancer, enduring countless treatments, and holding onto hope with every fiber of their beings, the conversation begins to shift from saving Jeff’s life to honoring the quality of the life he had left. A quiet moment at a family gathering introduces Stephanie to the concept of "dying with dignity," a legal and compassionate option in California that could offer Jeff relief from his relentless suffering.
What follows is an intimate and emotionally raw account of the decision-making process: the tearful conversations, the consultations with doctors, and Jeff’s own quiet acceptance of what he had already been considering in his heart. Stephanie walks us through the painful beauty of that final summer, the unbearable physical toll on Jeff, the unwavering love between them, and the soul-crushing reality of receiving her final birthday gift from the man she called her husband. This episode is a powerful meditation on selflessness, compassion, and the extraordinary strength it takes to say goodbye when love is no longer about holding on, but about letting go with grace.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 15: Life And Death Decision

In this emotionally charged episode, Stephanie recounts the morning of her anniversary, what should have been a day of celebration turned into one of the most critical moments of Jeff’s cancer journey. After weeks of declining health, Jeff's breathing became labored to the point of emergency. Despite his years of experience as a respiratory therapist, even he couldn't stabilize what was happening. A last-minute, frantic trip to the hospital led to an impossible decision: undergo a tracheostomy or risk dying from respiratory failure.
Stephanie walks us through the heart-wrenching choice they had to make together in that hospital room. With Jeff unable to decide for himself, the weight fell on her shoulders. It was a moment of raw truth, love, and clarity. As she balanced the fear of losing him with the desperate hope of one more day, Stephanie reflects on how sometimes love requires us to make the hardest choices, not just for ourselves, but for those we hold closest. This episode is a powerful testament to courage under pressure and the incredible strength that comes when love is your guide.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 14: Making Memories of Us

In this poignant and tender episode, Stephanie shares a powerful chapter in her and Jeff’s journey, one that began with laughter and ended with an unexpected detour. What started as a joyful family trip to celebrate birthdays and create memories turned into a medical emergency when Jeff suffered a fall that resulted in a broken hip. With resilience and grace, Stephanie recounts the days that followed, including a hip replacement surgery at Tufts University and the quiet strength they found at the Cam Neely House, a haven for cancer patients and their families.
Despite the setbacks, their determination to keep living fully never wavered. Stephanie paints a vivid picture of their decision to celebrate their anniversary abroad, honoring love in Paris with a romantic photo session and embracing each fleeting moment in Liverpool at a dear friend’s wedding. But when they returned home, the reality of Jeff’s condition resurfaced. A confusing episode of gibberish speech led to a diagnosis of viral encephalitis, another cruel twist in their ongoing battle. Stephanie reflects on the emotional toll of watching the man she loved slowly change and how, even through it all, they continued to make memories, clinging to joy, travel, love, and each other, even as time felt increasingly uncertain. This episode is a beautiful reminder of the importance of presence, connection, and cherishing every sacred second, we have.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 13: Setting Aside The Possibility of Death, So We Could Live

In this heart-opening episode, Stephanie reflects on one of the most profound lessons she and Jeff learned during their journey with cancer: how to live fully in the face of death. With a terminal diagnosis looming, they chose not to be defined by it. Instead, they embraced the present, leaned into joy, and committed to creating as many beautiful memories as possible. From spontaneous dances outside a Seahawks stadium in the rain to cozy brunches at home, their days were filled not with dread, but with presence, purpose, and a deep love that refused to be overshadowed by fear.
Stephanie brings listeners into the moments that made life feel vibrant again-moments that were often simple, yet carried profound weight. Whether tailgating at college football games with the kids or cooking crisp bacon and Belgian waffles on a Sunday morning, these memories served as defiant acts of hope. This episode is a moving reminder that while we may not be able to control the outcome, we can choose how we show up for life, for love, and for each other. It’s about saying yes to joy, to presence, to living, even when the future is uncertain.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 12: Collateral Damage

In this powerful and reflective episode, Stephanie speaks candidly about the aftermath of survival and what it really means to live with the consequences of life-saving treatment. While she and Jeff had succeeded in buying more time, the toll on his body was undeniable. From a feeding tube and vision complications to radiation-induced side effects like a hole in the roof of his mouth and hearing loss, the journey was filled with small but relentless battles. Each one chipped away at Jeff’s physical strength, but never his spirit or their love.
Despite the visible scars and internal struggles, Stephanie and Jeff chose to live fully. With a defiant sense of hope, they set out to reclaim joy. One of their first acts of celebration was crossing off the first item on their bucket list: a breathtaking drive up the California coast to Big Sur and Pebble Beach. Though Jeff couldn’t play the course he had dreamed of, he experienced its beauty, standing by the ocean with tears of gratitude and wonder. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that while illness may change the body, it doesn’t have to steal the soul. Even amidst the collateral damage, love, resilience, and presence can carry us forward.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **

Season 1 | Episode 11: My Lifeline

When love is tested through unimaginable trials, the strength we find, both within ourselves and in those around us, can become our lifeline. In this episode, Stephanie opens up about the brutal reality of Jeff’s cancer treatments during the summer that pushed them to their limits emotionally, physically, and spiritually. From the raw pain of radiation burns and mouth sores to the heartbreak of watching his body weaken, she shares the behind-the-scenes journey of what it truly meant to fight for more time. Through it all, Jeff’s bravery never wavered, and Stephanie's love only grew stronger as she became his caretaker, his advocate, and his lifeline.
Stephanie also reveals the importance of building a support system, what she called her “call list”, a group of friends and family she could lean on in the darkest moments. Faith, family, and friendship became her anchors when exhaustion and fear set in. Despite the brutal toll the treatments took on Jeff, they pressed on, each day choosing courage over collapse. This episode is a raw and tender reflection on the reality of caregiving, the power of love in action, and the sacred strength it takes to keep showing up even when you’re running on empty. It's a tribute to the quiet heroes who hold it all together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
My hope is that the stories shared here bring you comfort, inspire hope, and serve as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light still exists.
💛 Join me as we weave happiness through the grief.
Let’s build a community of strength, support, and healing together. Send me a DM over on social—I’d love to connect with you!
Instagram: @stephanieduranofficial
Facebook: Stephanie Duran
** Podcast Produced by Identity Brand by Monica Kline **