Religions and faith practices have long served as guidebooks for life, offering meaning, structure, and direction for what comes after.
Each belief system offers its own layered and foundation concept of mortality.
To truly understand death, we must not only see it through the physical lens, but also through the spiritual.
This is Last Words Death Perception: Islamic Concepts on Mortality
Meet Dr. Zahid Saqib,
A physician for over 57 who represents the Islamic Society of Evansville.
In chapter one, he not only walks us through his own origin story - but walks us through the foundational principles of Islam and most of all, how he himself came to know God.
I spent days sitting with Dr.Saqib, reviewing and learning about Islam. From inside the temple, to being invited into his own home.
To understand the concepts of mortality of Islam, you must first understand the foundational concepts of the Islamic Faith.
In this episode Dr.Saqib walks us through:
Most of all, how this life serves as a test for the life that comes thereafter.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Dr.Zahid Saqib.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest(s) and do not reflect the views of Last Words Podcast or its producers.
This episode is in memory of Janet Archibald who passed away on October 21st, 2025.
On October 7th, host Nic Main sat with Janet in English, Indiana as Janet traversed some of her final moments in life.
This would be the first time the two of them met officially.
Unlike other podcasts prior, this was a moment where Nic simply sat up the microphone and let Janet leave behind her last words to the world.
Just simply: Janice putting her heart out there for the world to hear.
In this episode Janet discusses:
‑ How she views death.
- Her personal testimony.
‑ Noticing the simple blessing of the day to day.
‑ The first thought she had when she was diagnosed.
‑ How she had open conversations with her creator.
Most of all she looks back fondly on the life that she lived.
Regardless of the pain and burdens that she had to carry,
Simply stating: What more could you want?
This is Last Words.
This is Janet Archibald.
Welcome back to Last Words: Death Perception - Catholic Concepts on Mortality.
We return to Father Dusty and uncover more of the concepts that the Catholic Church embraces in regard to death and life.
In this episode Father Dusty explains:
In the end, Father Dusty walks us through his personal fear of death and the experiences that have shaped his own view on mortality.
Including the loss of a close friend and what it means to work and walk through it.
This is Last Words: Death Perception
This is Father Dusty.
Religions and faith practices are often used as a guidebook for life.
For believers and followers creating a perspective for what comes after,
Multi - layered and foundational each with their own concept of mortality.
In order to better understand death, we must not only see it through the physical lens - but the spiritual.
Hearing from leaders throughout all different walks of life, sharing their beliefs and how this in turn has changed the way they see their own mortality.
We start with: Catholic Concepts on Mortality.
In our first episode, we sit with Father Dusty, a priest for St. John the Baptist.
Father Dusty kindly hosted Last Words inside of St.John the Baptist.
In This Episode: Father Dusty dives into.
And how most of all, what it means to be and serve in the “pit”.
This is Last Words: Death Perception
This is Father Dusty.
Host Nic Main’s mother Shelly Main was the first interview ever recorded.
Almost 2 years ago, on October 25th, 2023.
Shelly Main fought the good fight against triple negative breast cancer for almost 2 years.
Taking on over 36 rounds of treatment.
At one point being told she was in remission and could slowly return to living a normal life.
Sadly, that was wrong.
Upon finishing a 5k race and placing top in her age class, she developed a cough that would not go away.
Her breast cancer had spread into her lungs and brain, going unnoticed.
On October 16th, of 2023, she was given 3 months left to live.
Up until that day, Last Words Podcast was an idea that was shelved for over 2 years.
Her death is what ultimately brought it to life.
This is her story.
No prep time, no questionnaire.
Just a small look into the life of a woman who left behind a profound impact.
In this episode:
Most of all, an honest look into how one feels with one foot in this life and one foot in the next.
This is Last Words.
This is Shelly Main.
How would sitting with a cancer patient change you?
For Krista Wilson, it shaped her in ways she could never have imagined, offering a profound appreciation for life that only comes from being present in those moments.
But how did her journey begin? She shares the single conversation she overheard that set everything in motion.
In Chapter 2, Krista walks us through:
What it truly means to be part of a cancer patient’s process
The honor of navigating the end of life alongside another human being
Being a voice for the voiceless
The core principles of advocacy
The lasting gift of perspective
Krista opens up about how these experiences have transformed the way she sees her own mortality.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Krista Wilson.
Krista Wilson is the Executive Director of Cancer Pathways Midwest in Evansville, Indiana.
With over 20 years walking side by side with cancer patients, Krista has developed a rare perspective on what it truly means to live, when seen through the lens of terminal illness.
Host Nic Main returns to Evansville to bring Krista’s story forward, not only as a leader and advocate, but also as a Stage 1 Cervical Cancer survivor herself.
In Chapter 1, Krista shares:
Above all, Krista reflects on the power of simply being present with someone navigating cancer versus the instinct to always take action.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Krista Wilson.
This episode was recorded more than a year ago, early in the Last Words Podcast lineup. It reflects the roots of our journey, and it wouldn’t be possible without Cancer Pathways Midwest, one of the reasons this podcast can and does exist.
In Chapter 2 of her story, Aril Ferrara brings us into the space where time bends and presence takes on new meaning.
Through her words and her art, Aril defines what it means to create her own greatness in the life she was given, even when the future is uncertain.
She invites us into her journey of self-advocacy, shaping how she wants to be remembered, and expressing her story beyond language.
In this episode she discusses:
How she perceives time since her diagnosis.
What it means to grow when there is “nothing left to be done."
Creating her own definition of greatness.
The role of self-advocacy in her journey.
Leaving behind the legacy she envisions.
The making of “Never the Same”, her original artwork capturing her life story.
Most importantly, she shares her Last Words.
This is Aril Ferrera.
This is Last Words.
Three years ago, Aril Ferrera was sketching out the kind of life plans anyone her age might dream of - a career, relationships, a future wide open.
Then at just 25, those plans collapsed the minute she was diagnosed with stage 4 de novo metastatic breast cancer.
Aril wanted to use this platform to show the simple truth and what it’s really like to live with a terminal diagnosis when time itself feels uncertain.
Host Nic Main traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to sit down with her and bring the last three years of her journey to life.
In this episode she discusses:
The process of being diagnosed terminal.
Life plans before and after the diagnosis.
How cancer affects those around you.
“The war on cancer”
Misconceptions of navigating terminal cancer.
Losing her brother, in the face of losing her identity.
Re-learning and re-discovering who she was through new outlets and opportunities.
Most of all, she speaks directly to those who will be diagnosed terminally this year.
This is Aril Ferrera.
This is Last Words.
According to John Hopkins, the gun death rate increased 40% from 2014 to 2023. With firearms being the leading cause of death among young people ages 1-17 in 2023 in Missouri.
In this episode, Caleb walks us through the gun violence epidemic in Jennings, Missouri.
He discusses how the landscape of gangs have changed, in terms of honor and a code.
How children as young as 12 are joining low level gangs and what happens to them over the course of the next 6 years.
What it is like as a police officer to combat generational trauma that is fueled by poverty.
The unique perspective of having worked in the school system, before putting on the badge.
Protecting a community that wants to grow out of what it has been.
He helps us understand outside the uniform, how he views his own mortality.
And shares the one call that taught him how to make every moment count.
This is Last Words: Death Perception
This is Caleb Davey.
Caleb Davey is a police officer from Jennings, Missouri.
A town composed of a total of 3.7 square miles, known as the first north city of St.Louis.
Host Nic Main traveled to Jennings, Missouri and completed a series of 10 hours of riding along with Officer Davey.
In this episode Officer Davey takes us from Day 1 to Year 6 on the job.
Starting solo in the field, right when COVID-19 began.
Unlearning everything he knew and re-learning the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 paired with law enforcement.
Working on the job while over resignation rates would rise by 47% from 2019 to 2022.
How in Year 1 of his career, he witnessed more death than he ever has since.
What it means for him to become the bridge between the dying and the loved one.
Meeting people where they are at, while they face tragedy.
When and when not to compartmentalize.
The verbal and non-verbal instincts of police work.
Changing the way the community views police officers, throughout every action.
And how death is heavier than anything and the only thing that can prepare you for it is the job.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Officer Caleb Davey.
Imagine going back to college.
The world as you know it has changed.
The internet has launched and is on track to become one of the most impactful creations of the century.
This was Paul at 65,
His journey led him here.
But first at 58, he had to undergo a major life transition that would be the turning point of everything he knew.
In Chapter 2 of Paul’s story:
Most of all he leaves behind his “Last Words” for generations to come.
This is Last Words.
This is Paul Mueth.
Out of a roughly 50 million, 70-80% of the Silent Generation have already died.
Paul is one of the 20%-30% that remain.
Host Nic Main travels to Illinois to sit with Paul in an attempt to capture 95 years of life lived.
In this conversation, Paul goes back to the very beginning.
Paul reflects on a life shaped by both hardship and resilience.
Abandoned at the age of two due to a rare health condition, he learned early to rely on his inner strength.
He recalls the fear of growing up during a world at war, a child wondering if he might die at the barrel of an enemy’s gun.
And he shares how the bravest day of his life, would be speaking to the woman he would marry for 70 years.
This Last Words.
This is Paul Meuth.
How does it feel to save a life?
Greg Maddock opens up about staying cautiously optimistic when a patient’s future is uncertain.
What it means to walk the quiet line between the harsh realities he’s witnessed vs. the normalcy that waits at home.
He offers hard earned advice for today’s EMT's and he reflects on his own mortality after dedicating half of his life to society’s most urgent moments.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Greg Maddock.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest(s) and do not reflect the views of Last Words Podcast or its producers.
What does it mean to walk the line between life and death, every single day?
For St. Charles Battalion Chief Greg Maddock, it all began with one ambulance ride as a child.
That single experience sparked a lifelong calling to serve on the frontlines of society, where saving lives is a daily mission, and one call can change everything.
Host Nic Main had the rare opportunity to ride along with Greg for over seven hours, witnessing life and death through his eyes as a first responder.
In Chapter 1 of their conversation, Greg shares:
- The growing mental health crisis among EMTs
- The difference between clinical death and biological death
- New challenges facing today’s younger EMTs
- How his career has shaped his view on his own mortality
Together, they dive into Greg’s role as a Battalion Chief and what it truly means to walk the thin white line.
At the heart of it all, Greg reminds us of the one reason he continues to show up: the patient.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Battalion Chief Greg Maddock.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest(s) and do not reflect the views of Last Words Podcast or its producers.
What does it mean to live on when so many of your loved ones have already gone?
How do you begin to navigate the survivor’s guilt left behind?
In Chapter 2 of Heather’s story, she helps us explore those questions.
She recounts her daughter Lexi’s cancer journey, hoping to save another child if she couldn’t save her own.
She shares how hospice taught her the quiet power of the will to live, and what it truly means to “be there” when someone you love dies.
Most of all, she teaches us how to say goodbye.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Heather Lawson.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest(s) and do not reflect the views of Last Words Podcast or its producers.
You met Taylor in the debut episode of Last Words Podcast.
A 24 year old Li-Fraumeni patient embracing the unconventional.
Now, meet her mother — Heather Lawson.
Host Nic Main returns to Indiana to hear Heather’s story.
A NICU nurse, Heather reflects on what it means to work with such fragile lives and how her own story shaped her into an advocate for the mothers and newborns who enter her world.
She shares what it was like to lose her father as a teenager and years later, help her own children navigate that same kind of loss.
She answers the questions:
What does it mean to explain death to a child?
Where do we place the love that remains
after someone is gone?
Teaching us in crisis: everything has to change.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Heather Lawson.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest(s) and do not reflect the views of Last Words Podcast or its producers.
This episode of Last Words is In Memoriam of Virginia Viviano.
Virginia was deeply loved by her family and known to them as living example of unwavering faith.
Diagnosed with terminal colon cancer and given three months to live, she chose to face her final chapter with grace, courage, and conviction.
In this episode, host Nic Main makes a 12-hour drive from Mississippi to the Texas–Mexico border where he meets Virginia and records what would become her final interview.
Despite the pain, Virginia’s faith never wavered. In fact, it only grew stronger, meeting terminal illness head-on, with no stone left unturned.
She shares her living testimony as a devout Catholic, reflecting on how her beliefs shaped her from a career in radio, to serving in the military, to her belief on the erosion of faith in modern society.
This is Last Words.
This is Virginia.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest(s) and do not reflect the views of Last Words Podcast or its producers.
Together, Amber and host Nic Main explore the uncomfortable reality of dying.
How rarely we talk about it, and how that silence leaves more than just psychological scars.
Amber speaks honestly about the limits of caregiving,
the quiet moment when you must say “I give,”
and what it means to grieve when goodbye never had a clear beginning or end.
She reflects on the difference between treating the patient and treating the parent.
And what it takes to make the choice to let go.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Amber Olsen.
This is a Death Perception episode of Last Words, where we explore death through the eyes of those who walk alongside it.
This is a Death Perception episode of Last Words, where we explore death through the eyes of those who walk alongside it.
In this episode our host Nic Main travels to Mississpi, to meet Amber Olsen.
Amber was a mother of 3 daughters living an ordinary life through the lens of what society expected from her. She sought to provide a living, buy the car, and create the home.
Then on May 19th, 2016 Amber’s youngest Willow was diagnosed with MSD.
MSD, or Multiple Sulfatase Deficiency, prevents the body from processing natural cellular waste. Over time, it stripped Willow of her ability to move, speak, and simply be a child.
Amber was faced with a choice.
Watch more children like her daughter Willow suffer,
Or search for a cure that would change the entire landscape for MSD patients for years to come.
Almost 10 years later, Amber has raised over 3.6 million dollars in her continued fight to combat MSD and find a cure.
She also founded the United MSD Foundation a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating research and finding a cure.
In this episode Nic and Amber reflect on Willow’s legacy.
The core concepts of being a caregiver.
The documentary “The Zebra and The Bear” based on Willow’s journey.
Questions submitted from listeners like you.
And what it means to transition out of losing someone to a terminal illness.
This is Last Words: Death Perception.
This is Amber Olsen.