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Episode 35: In-Laws or Out-Laws? — Dealing with Their Family After You Move On

Moving forward after loss isn’t just about you—it can shift every relationship connected to your past. In this episode, Jamal and David tackle one of the most complicated dynamics widowers face: navigating relationships with in-laws while building a new life.

They share their personal experiences—from deep bonds that continue to grow, to relationships that have changed or become more distant—and unpack the emotional reality behind it all. Why does moving forward sometimes feel like betrayal? Why can new relationships trigger tension? And how do you honor your late spouse while still choosing happiness?

This conversation dives into boundaries, family expectations, loyalty tests, and the quiet pressure that can come through children and new beginnings. Whether relationships with in-laws strengthen, shift, or fade, Jamal and David remind listeners that healing isn’t a group decision—it’s personal. And moving forward doesn’t erase the past… it means you’re still choosing to live.

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death is a podcast that explores the raw, unfiltered reality of surviving profound personal loss—and finding a way forward. The idea for the podcast was born after David and Jamal met in 2023. Both widowers, who had lost their wives to cancer, quickly found a deep connection through multiple conversations about pain, perseverance, and parenthood. They realized that while men often bond over music, sports, or TV, they rarely speak candidly about loss or emotional recovery. Getting Back Up was created to change that narrative—blending the everyday with the existential in a format that’s as relatable as it is real.

Thank you for your support!

Hosts: David McClain & Jamal Jones
Executive Directors: Marlon Jackson & Ted Winners (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Marlon Jackson
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram/TikTok @getbackuppodcast and on X @GBUpodcast

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Episode 34: Bitter Sweet Sixteens — Navigating Fatherhood Through Milestones

Turning sixteen is supposed to be a celebration — a moment where parents look at their daughters and realize childhood is slowly giving way to adulthood. But for widower fathers, milestones like a Sweet Sixteen can carry a different emotional weight.

In this episode, Jamal and David reflect on their daughters’ sixteenth birthdays and the bittersweet mix of pride, preparation, and grief that comes with it. They share how they planned the celebrations, who helped make those moments special, and the quiet questions many widower dads ask themselves: Am I doing this right? Am I enough for her without her mom?

From candle-lighting ceremonies to family gatherings and private reflections, this conversation explores how fathers honor the mothers who should be there, while guiding their daughters into the next chapter of life. It’s about showing up, building a circle of support, and recognizing that sometimes the most powerful thing a dad can offer isn’t perfection — it’s presence.

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death is a podcast that explores the raw, unfiltered reality of surviving profound personal loss—and finding a way forward. The idea for the podcast was born after David and Jamal met in 2023. Both widowers, who had lost their wives to cancer, quickly found a deep connection through multiple conversations about pain, perseverance, and parenthood. They realized that while men often bond over music, sports, or TV, they rarely speak candidly about loss or emotional recovery. Getting Back Up was created to change that narrative—blending the everyday with the existential in a format that’s as relatable as it is real.

Thank you for your support!

Hosts: David McClain & Jamal Jones
Executive Directors: Marlon Jackson & Ted Winners (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Marlon Jackson
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram/TikTok @getbackuppodcast and on X @GBUpodcast

Send a text

Episode 33: Am I Depressed… or Am I Grieving?

In this episode, Jamal and David take on a question many widowers wrestle with quietly: Am I depressed… or am I grieving? It’s a question that usually shows up late at night, in the quiet moments when the distractions fade and the weight of loss feels hardest to understand.

Together, they unpack what grief often looks like in men — exhaustion, irritability, numbness, brain fog, and the pressure to keep functioning even when something inside feels off. They also explore the important differences between grief and depression, how the two can overlap, and why asking for help isn’t a sign that grief “failed.” It’s a sign you’re paying attention. This episode is an honest conversation about emotional limits, faith, strength, and why you’re not broken for feeling the way you do.

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death is a podcast that explores the raw, unfiltered reality of surviving profound personal loss—and finding a way forward. The idea for the podcast was born after David and Jamal met in 2023. Both widowers, who had lost their wives to cancer, quickly found a deep connection through multiple conversations about pain, perseverance, and parenthood. They realized that while men often bond over music, sports, or TV, they rarely speak candidly about loss or emotional recovery. Getting Back Up was created to change that narrative—blending the everyday with the existential in a format that’s as relatable as it is real.

Thank you for your support!

Hosts: David McClain & Jamal Jones

Executive Directors: Marlon Jackson & Ted Winners (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Marlon Jackson
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram/TikTok @getbackuppodcast and on X @GBUpodcast