In this very special episode I celebrate five years of sharing my story and the stories of so many others by sitting down with Bruce and Donna Ellis, who have been like second parents to me. This episode is a heartfelt conversation about family, love, resilience, and most of all about Julie Ellis, their daughter and my soulmate, my best friend since childhood, whose life was tragically cut short. Julie was kind, wise beyond her years, full of humor, and a light in everyone’s life. She had a way of making ordinary moments extraordinary, and her presence shaped my life in ways that continue to this day. We remember Julie through stories that made us laugh until we cried, through the pranks, and traditions that filled the Ellis household, and through the small signs and moments that remind us she is still with us. Bruce and Donna share memories of Julie’s warmth, her intelligence, her caring nature, and the ways she looked out for others even at a young age. Together we hold space for grief, for the pain of losing a loved one, and for the ways faith and community can help carry us through life’s hardest moments. The conversation also touches on Bruce’s late twin brother, the remarkable love story Bruce and Donna have shared for more than fifty-six years, and the humor that has kept them grounded even in dark times. From family vacations and traditions to silly pranks and shared laughter, we celebrate the ordinary and extraordinary moments that make a life full and meaningful. This episode is about the importance of speaking openly about loss. It is about love in all its forms, the family we are born into, the family we choose, and the friends who become anchors in our lives. Most of all, it is a tribute to Julie and a reminder that even in loss, connection, memory, and love carry us forward. This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #resilience #traumahealing #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #podcasts #GriefAndHealing #MentalHealthMatters #RememberingJulie #FamilyLove #FriendshipAndLoss #HealingTogether #LifeStories #LoveAndLoss #FindingHope #EverydayMoments #LaughterAndTears #LifeLessons #FamilyFirst #FaithAndConnection #HeartfeltStories #CopingWithLoss #SupportAndCommunity #CelebratingLife #CherishedMemories #StoriesThatMatter #EnduringLove #KindnessCounts #LoveLivesOn #SoulfulConversations #LifeReflections #HopeAndHealing #LifeAfterLoss #ComfortAndCare #SharedMemories #GriefSupport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices