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Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death (Season 1)

Episode 20: Children and Grief with Kelly Medvin (LPC)

In this episode, Jamal and Dave sit down with Kelly Medvin, a licensed professional counselor from New Jersey whose work with grieving families began with her own story—losing her sister suddenly and stepping in to support her young nieces and nephews through unimaginable pain. That personal loss became the foundation for a career dedicated to helping children process grief in ways that are honest, age-appropriate, and rooted in emotional safety.

Together, they explore the most common signs of grief in children, how adults can create safe spaces for hard conversations, and what it means to guide a child through loss without rushing their healing. Kelly shares powerful tips for parents, teachers, and loved ones—reminding us that children don’t always grieve out loud, but they’re always feeling. If you’ve ever wondered how to show up for a child who’s hurting, this episode offers both heart and how-to.

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 Winner (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Chris Gazzo (Reel Media)
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 us a text

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death (Season 1)

Episode 19: Life After Loss w/ Melody Rollins Downes (Part 2)

In Part 2 of thier powerful conversation, Melody opens up about the final chapter of her husband’s life—the caregiving, the chaos, the clarity, and the quiet moments in between.

This episode goes deeper into how they managed their marriage, family, and friendships while facing the unimaginable. David and Jamal accompany Melody as she shares what it meant to love him through his final days, how they navigated hard conversations, and how she created space for both grief and grace with their children.

She also reflects on the emotional toll of being a caregiver, watching her children , grieve in their own unique ways, and more

This is an episode about partnership, parenting, and perseverance in the face of loss.

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: Steve Senisi (Reel Media)
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 us a text

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death (Season 1)

Episode 18: Life After Loss w/ Melody Rollins Downes (Part 1)

In this episode, Jamal and David sit down with Melody Rollins Downes, a close friend, mother, and widow, to explore the full story—not just the moment of loss, but the life that came before it. Melody opens up about her childhood, her marriage, and what it meant to love deeply—and then lose suddenly.

She reflects on how grief shaped her—but didn’t define her—and what she’s learned about healing, parenting, and continuing to live when life doesn’t go as planned.

Together, they explore the experiences that made Melody who she is. what marriage taught her—and what grief revealed, parenting through pain and presence, and finding identity again when life feels unrecognizable.

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: Steve Senisi (Reel Media)
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

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