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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

Send us a text

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

Episode 17: The Holidays After Loss

For anyone grieving, the holiday season doesn’t just bring lights and cheer—it brings shadows, silence, and reminders of what (and who) is missing. In this episode, Jamal and Dave get real about what it’s like to face your first holiday after losing someone you love—and every holiday after that.

Through personal stories of their first holidays post-loss, from potlucks that kept grief company to traditions that found new life, they reflect on how rituals can be both anchors and lifelines. They talk about honoring those who’ve passed, blending old traditions with new love, helping kids feel safe and seen, and keeping the holidays simple, sacred, and human. Whether you're a solo parent lighting a candle, a widow decorating the same tree, or a friend wondering how to show up—this one’s for you.

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 16.5: Time Out - Still Getting Back Up

Ten episodes later, we’ve gone from the first morning alone to parenting through pain, rediscovering purpose, and opening our hearts to what comes next.

In this reflection episode, Jamal and Dave look back at where they’ve been—from telling the kids, facing funerals, and handling solo parenting, to navigating new love. They share the lessons that stuck, the moments that surprised them, and how they’re continuing to get back up—and where they are going next with the Getting Back Up Podcast.

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 16: New Love On the Horizon

Falling in love again after loss is layered. In this episode, Jamal and Dave reflect on what it means to move forward while still honoring the past. Jamal shares how his connection with Jordan grew organically—through friendship, life experiences, and timing—and how stepping into a new relationship challenged him to lead with honesty, emotional clarity, and self-awareness. Dave offers a different but equally real perspective—on choosing not to move forward in a relationship that didn’t align with the season he was in, especially as a solo father still navigating grief.

Together, they explore the emotional reality of blending new love with old friendships, shifting family dynamics, and learning to date while parenting through loss. The key takeaways? Grieve first. Date when you’re ready—not when people think you should be. You don’t owe anyone explanations, but you do owe your future partner compassion and clarity. The right person will honor your past, not compete with it. The right harmony among your friends, family, and the proper connection to your children find balance in due time.

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 15: The DadMom - Taking Over the Solos

Being a solo parent after loss isn’t just about logistics—it’s about stepping into the spotlight when the lead singer of the band is gone. In this episode, Jamal and Dave reflect on what it means to go from backup to front man when raising kids in the aftermath of losing their mothers.

Then, in classic GBU fashion, they flip the script with the funny—and unexpectedly freeing—side of “Free Agent Parenting.”

But it’s not all laughs. Jamal and Dave also reflect on the emotional labor, mental stamina, and evolving identity that comes with being a father, protector, grief companion, and bedtime DJ—all in one.

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 14: Dating again: What we learned. What you should know.

Dating after loss is a different kind of game—and the playbook isn’t exactly handed to you. You’ve changed. The world has changed. And when it comes to love after grief… nobody teaches you how to try again.

In this episode, Jamal and David lay out the dating truths they learned the hard way, and the tips they wish someone had told them before stepping back into the world of romance. Whether you're curious, cautious, or already swiping, this one gives you both strategy and soul.

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