Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
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Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
EP06: Ethan Blauner: Breaking the Cycle of Pain by Embracing Emotions
The Currency of Grief
1 hour 25 minutes
6 months ago
EP06: Ethan Blauner: Breaking the Cycle of Pain by Embracing Emotions
Grief cracked Ethan Blauner wide open, and instead of running from the pain, he built a life around feeling every part of it.
When his father died just days before they were set to open a gym together, Ethan found himself grieving while launching a business, managing chaos, and facing decades of generational trauma. As he joins Justin Weidenfeld on this episode, Ethan reflects on the intensity of that time and what it taught him about vulnerability, identity, and the cost of silence.
What happens when you grow up with a parent who never learned to process their own pain? And how do you begin to break a cycle that’s been running for generations? Ethan shares the reality of losing his dad in the middle of a mental health crisis, the impact of being raised by the child of Holocaust survivors, and why he believes emotional expression is a form of strength. He talks about the gym they built, the grief it holds, and the unexpected clarity that came from choosing to feel instead of numb.
From building community through fitness to founding the Dead Dad Run Club, Ethan’s story is a powerful look at how grief can reshape your life and what’s possible when you decide to meet it head-on.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Grief and Purpose Collide
06:15 Ethan’s Father’s Mental Health Crisis and Trip to Israel
13:01 Searching for His Father and Facing the Unknown
17:10 Identifying the Body and Finding Closure
24:54 Growing Up with Chaos: The Emotional Legacy of His Father
27:02 Generational Trauma and the Decision to Break the Cycle
30:00 Numbness, Vulnerability, and Choosing to Feel
34:40 Launching a Gym While Grieving
39:27 Redefining Strength: Emotional Awareness as Power
48:08 Comedy, Crying, and Creative Release as Therapy
52:58 Facing the Financial and Legal Aftermath
01:01:20 Dead Dad Run Club and Building Community Through Fitness
01:06:50 Gratitude, Grief, and Growth
Links
Connect with Ethan Blauner:
Instagram: @deaddadrunclub
Connect with Justin Weidenfeld:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-weidenfeld/
Website: https://www.ironbridgewc.com/team/justin-weidenfeld
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
The Currency of Grief
Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
