This week on Thirty, Flirty, and Panicking, host Kelsey Murphy sits down with writer and creator Jack Ciapciak — whose reflections on grief and love recently went viral after he shared the story of losing his fiancé, also named Jack. A thoughtful storyteller with a background in television writing, Jack has built a global community around healing, connection, and keeping the memory of loved ones alive.

This conversation is a powerful look at life after loss — and a reminder that grief is not linear, love doesn’t disappear, and community can carry us through our darkest seasons. Kelsey and Jack explore the reality of grieving both the past and the future you imagined, the signs that show up when you need them most, how to support someone who is hurting, and the deeply human experience of finding hope again. You’ll walk away with perspective-shifting takeaways on presence, resilience, and the small ways we keep our people with us long after they’re gone.

• How to hold space for someone who’s grieving — what to say, what NOT to worry about, and why outreach matters even when you don’t know what to do.

• Tools for staying present when your future suddenly changes — what Jack learned about redefining his life after losing the one he planned it with.

• How to recognize the physical side of grief — and why exhaustion, fog, and emotional shutdown are normal.

• How community is key to rebuilding — including the surprising kindness Jack found online.

• How to keep someone’s memory alive without feeling stuck — the power of storytelling, rituals, and humor.

• How signs can serve you — Jack shares how he began noticing clear signs that helped him feel connected when he needed it most, and how you can look for yours

• Why grief isn’t just about death — it can be the loss of a relationship, a dream, an identity, or a version of yourself.

• How to let people show up for you, even imperfectly — and why vulnerability becomes a bridge, not a burden.

THIS WEEK'S TOOLKIT:

• Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson: https://tinyurl.com/5ynb8kjm• Anderson Cooper’s podcast All There Is: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-there-is-with-anderson-cooper/id1643163707• Grief support groups & grief-specialist therapy• The “bench story” that started Jack’s viral moment on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jackciapciak/photo/7475552011036020014?lang=en

Connect with Jack:• TikTok: @jackciapciak• Instagram: @jackciapciak

Note: This conversation was recorded pre-launch in March and is being shared now in honor of what would’ve been Jack and Jack’s second wedding anniversary and Jack Lorentzen’s 33rd birthday.