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What happens when someone walks into your life and helps rebuild the very foundation grief once tore apart?

Nearly 30 years ago, Katie (Hines) Thomas entered our lives not to replace what had been lost—but to hold space for all of it. In this deeply personal Mother’s Day episode, we sit down with our stepmom, Katie, and reflect on the three decades of love, loss, and legacy that have shaped our big, beautiful “family bush.”

From the sudden loss of her in-laws and the death of her first child to the heartbreak of divorce, navigating a radical mastectomy, and raising four children on her own, Katie’s story is one of extraordinary resilience. When she met our dad shortly after our mom's passing, neither of them were looking for love—but what they found was something transformative. Together, they blended their adult families with intentional love, grace, and a shared commitment to showing up for each other, no matter what.

This episode explores:

• The unexpected love story that brought Katie and our dad together
• The complexities and gifts of blending families as adults
• Katie’s remarkable career in education and counseling
• Her personal losses and the legacy she’s building through it all
• What it means to be mothered in different seasons of life
• How aging with love, humor, and purpose is its own form of legacy

Whether you're navigating your own blended family, grieving the loss of a parent, or reflecting on the relationships that shaped you—this story is a reminder that family is about more than blood. It’s about who stays, who loves, and who grows with us.

Recorded just before Mother's Day, this conversation honors not only one extraordinary woman—but the resilience and tenderness that shape the families we choose and create.

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Ways to Connect:

If you have a story or expertise to share, please reach out & connect...we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about The P-I-G, sponsor and partner programs, and link to all episodes at https://www.thepigpodcast.com.

Connect on social at:

• https://www.facebook.com/podcast.thePIG
• https://www.instagram.com/thepigpodcast

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own because, “Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now." If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with others.

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How do you survive the death of your husband, then one child... and then another? How do you hold on to hope when your own children are battling the same rare genetic cancer that took their father?

In this extraordinary episode of The P-I-G, sisters Kellie and Erin sit down with Diane Herman, a mother, founder, and unwavering woman of faith whose story defies understanding—and radiates grace.

Diane walks us through her unimaginable journey:
💔 The loss of her husband Travis after a 13-year battle with cancer.
💔 The loss of her daughters Hope and Isabelle, both diagnosed with the same rare genetic disease.
💙 Marrying Justin (Travis's brother) and the simultaneous cancer diagnoses of her son Slate and daughter Isabelle—just one week apart.
🌍 And the life-changing decision to move to Guatemala and found House of Hope, a children’s home that has now served over 170 children.

Through every heartbreak, Diane found purpose. Today, she pours her love into the children of Guatemala, leads two non-profits (House of Hope + the Loom Project), and continues to live out the very legacy her children inspired. Her words are rooted in faith, resilience, and an unwavering belief that legacy is built not in what we leave behind—but in how we live through life’s hardest moments.

Released just before Mother’s Day, this episode honors not only the strength of one extraordinary mother—but the unbreakable bond between love, loss, and legacy. Whether you're navigating your own grief, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking light in the darkness, Diane’s story is one you’ll never forget.

Show Resources & Links:

• Learn about & support House of Hope & The Lüm Project
• Purchase & read Mothers Like Me: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Love in Loss

Support the show

Ways to Connect:

If you have a story or expertise to share, please reach out & connect...we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about The P-I-G, sponsor and partner programs, and link to all episodes at https://www.thepigpodcast.com.

Connect on social at:

• https://www.facebook.com/podcast.thePIG
• https://www.instagram.com/thepigpodcast

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own because, “Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now." If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with others.

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In this special P-I-G Afterthoughts episode, Kellie and Erin circle back to reflect on their powerful conversation with Gini Thomas—whose story of love, loss, and resilience is still echoing in their hearts.

They unpack the layers of Gini’s journey: meeting the love of her life, surviving the accident that took him, navigating 24 surgeries and an eventual amputation, and ultimately becoming a fierce advocate for herself and others.

Along the way, The Sisters explore their own experiences with trauma, motherhood, faith, and the power of showing up for one another. From "Eeyore days" to gratitude lists, this honest and heartfelt conversation is a reminder that we all have the capacity to rise—and to carry legacy forward, even in our hardest seasons.

April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month—and this reflection continues the conversation with deep respect and gratitude for Gini and all who walk this path.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Gini Thomas at https://linktr.ee/ginithomas
• Celebrate April's Limb Loss & Limb Difference Awareness Month
• Learn more about & support The Limb Preservation Foundation

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Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Love what you’re hearing?
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who needs it.

🔗 Want to connect?
If you have a powerful personal story or meaningful expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. Learn more about The P-I-G, apply to be a guest, or explore sponsorship opportunities at:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact

📱 Follow along:
Facebook
Instagram

💖 Support this work:
Each episode is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us so we can keep sharing these powerful conversations:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

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When life changes in an instant, how do you rebuild from the ground up?

Gini Thomas faced this question head-on after a catastrophic motorcycle accident in 2012 that claimed the life of her husband and left her with devastating injuries—ultimately leading to the amputation of her leg above the knee.

Her story begins with love: meeting Joe, a musician twenty years her senior who brought peace and joy into her life before their world was shattered just seventeen months into their marriage. With remarkable candor and grace, Gini walks us through that fateful August day, the immediate aftermath, and the grueling three-year journey through limb salvage surgeries before making the decision to amputate.

What follows is a masterclass in resilience. Gini has endured 24 surgeries, navigated the heartbreak of losing her husband, cared for her mother through dementia, and learned to become her own medical advocate—all while continuing to show up with quiet strength. Through it all, her mother taught her a mindset that sustains her still: "You've told me everything that's bad today, now tell me something good."

Today, Gini serves as a patient ambassador for Integrum and Ottobock—companies that manufacture the prosthetic technologies that helped her reclaim her life. She has found new love, discovered joy in helping others on their limb loss journey, and reminds us all that while grief may change us forever, it doesn’t have to define us.

This conversation explores:

• Becoming your own medical advocate
• The non-linear nature of grief and resilience
• How love, purpose, and perspective evolve after loss
• Raising awareness during Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month

Whether you’re navigating your own life-altering experience or supporting someone who is, Gini’s story offers a roadmap for living with both grace and grit.

Show Resources & Links:

• Connect with Gini Thomas at https://linktr.ee/ginithomas
• Celebrate April's Limb Loss & Limb Difference Awareness Month
• Learn more about & support The Limb Preservation Foundation

Support the show

Ways to Connect:

If you have a story or expertise to share, please reach out & connect...we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about The P-I-G, sponsor and partner programs, and link to all episodes at https://www.thepigpodcast.com.

Connect on social at:

• https://www.facebook.com/podcast.thePIG
• https://www.instagram.com/thepigpodcast

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own because, “Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now." If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with others.

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Episode Summary:
Curled up in pajamas with bowls of popcorn (affectionately called "pokey" by their late mother), sisters Kellie and Erin launch a brand-new PJs & Pokey series—an ongoing space for relaxed, heartfelt conversations about what they’re learning, how this journey is changing them, and the moments that matter most.

In this first PJs & Pokey episode, they take a step back to reflect on the unexpected lessons, deep conversations, and personal transformations that have unfolded through the first four episodes of The P-I-G. What began as a podcast to explore life, love, loss, and legacy has evolved into something far greater—an opportunity to reconnect, heal, and better understand each other in ways they never anticipated.

Through tears, laughter, and raw honesty, they discuss:

• Beating the Podcast Odds—Most shows don’t make it past episode three, but THE P-I-G is thriving!
• Memorable Moments & Takeaways—From Chris Howard’s powerful insights on legacy to Marcus & Jason’s personal journeys through love and loss, and Wendy Cohen’s unimaginable strength in the wake of her daughter’s tragic abduction and murder.
• Healing Their Sisterhood— After grieving in very different ways, maturity and launching this podcast has reconnected them in ways they never expected.
• Lessons from SXSW—Strangers deeply resonated with their message, validating the importance of storytelling, connection, and sharing conversations about life, love, loss, and legacy.
• What’s Next on The P-I-G—A look ahead at upcoming episodes, including family stories, expert insights, and listener experiences.

“The greatest gift of all, the greatest gift that she gave either of us, is each other.” This episode is raw, real, and deeply personal. Whether you’ve been with them since Episode 1 or you’re just tuning in, it’s a reminder that healing happens through connection, conversations change lives, and sometimes, the greatest gift of all is each other.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Love what you’re hearing?
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who needs it.

🔗 Want to connect?
If you have a powerful personal story or meaningful expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. Learn more about The P-I-G, apply to be a guest, or explore sponsorship opportunities at:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact

📱 Follow along:
Facebook
Instagram

💖 Support this work:
Each episode is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us so we can keep sharing these powerful conversations:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

Send us a text

Episode Summary:
On January 17, 2003, Lacy Jo Miller vanished.

A 20-year-old college student from Fort Collins, Colorado, Lacy was enjoying a night out with friends. But she never made it home. Ten grueling days later, her body was discovered in a remote canyon outside the city—her life stolen in an act of unthinkable violence.

As investigators uncovered the truth, they learned that her killer had posed as a police officer, pulling her over for what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. Even more chilling, this wasn’t the first time he had used this method to lure victims.

Today, we sit down with Wendy Cohen, Lacy’s mother, to honor her daughter’s life, explore the devastating reality of loss, and learn how Wendy has found the strength to transform grief into gratitude, pain into purpose—all while carrying happiness, empathy, and love in her heart.

Together, We Discuss:

• Our personal connection to Lacy’s story and why this conversation matters.
• Who Lacy was—her spirit, her dreams, and the incredible young woman she was becoming.
• The night she disappeared and the grueling investigation that followed.
• Wendy’s journey to process unimaginable loss while building an unexpected connection with her daughter’s killer’s family—seeking healing for everyone involved.
• What we can learn from Lacy’s story—including crucial safety tips for anyone facing a nighttime traffic stop.

This is a deeply emotional and profoundly important conversation about the unbreakable strength of a mother’s love, the long shadow of grief, and the ways we carry forward the legacies of those we’ve lost.

This is an episode that deserves to be heard. If it resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear Lacy’s story.

Support the show

Ways to Connect:

If you have a story or expertise to share, please reach out & connect...we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about The P-I-G, sponsor and partner programs, and link to all episodes at https://www.thepigpodcast.com.

Connect on social at:

• https://www.facebook.com/podcast.thePIG
• https://www.instagram.com/thepigpodcast

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own because, “Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now." If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with others.

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Episode Summary:

Love. Loss. Legacy. These three words shape our lives in ways we often don’t fully understand—until we’re forced to. In part two of this powerful conversation with Marcus Straub and Jason Jepson, we explore the moments that changed them, the experiences that tested them, and the lessons they carry forward.

• Marcus is a 20+ year life and business coach who has guided thousands through grief, reinvention, and learning how to live with purpose. His own journey has been filled with challenges that shaped the way he shows up for himself, his family, and his clients. Connect with Marcus and LIG Coaching & Consulting at https://ligcoaching.com/.
  
  
• Jason is a father, entrepreneur, and creative force who has navigated deep personal loss and profound transformation. He understands what it means to build, to rebuild, and to find meaning in the process.

This is an emotional, thought-provoking conversation about the lessons we carry forward, the relationships that shape us, and the choices we make every day to create a meaningful life.

Support the show

Ways to Connect:

If you have a story or expertise to share, please reach out & connect...we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about The P-I-G, sponsor and partner programs, and link to all episodes at https://www.thepigpodcast.com.

Connect on social at:

• https://www.facebook.com/podcast.thePIG
• https://www.instagram.com/thepigpodcast

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own because, “Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now." If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with others.

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Episode Summary:
What happens when two strong, driven, and deeply introspective men sit down to discuss life, love, loss, and legacy? You get one of the most insightful and thought-provoking conversations yet on THE P-I-G. In this episode, we introduce you to two of the most important people in our lives—Kellie’s husband, Marcus, and Erin’s boyfriend, Jason. But this isn’t just about their connection to us. These two powerful, intelligent, and deeply reflective men have built their own unique legacies—shaped by love, heartbreak, success, and tremendous loss.

• Jason is a devoted father, an entrepreneur, and a creative visionary who has carved his own path both professionally and personally. He is someone who loves deeply, sees possibility everywhere, and has experienced profound shifts throughout his life that have shaped who he is today.
  
  
• Marcus is a 20+ year life and business coach who has spent decades helping people navigate the complexities of life—guiding them through personal transformation, owning their reality, and learning how to embrace love, loss, and reinvention with clarity and purpose. He has worked with thousands of clients worldwide, including us—Erin, Jason, and Kellie—to help us grow into better versions of ourselves and prepare for The Boxes and The P-I-G projects.

Join us as we dive into...

• How Jason unknowingly set this journey in motion by introducing The Boxes to his longtime friend and film/television producer Chris Howard.
• Marcus’s perspective as both a husband and a coach—and how watching The Boxes project unfold has deepened his view on legacy.
• The defining moments that shaped their lives—the loves they’ve cherished, the losses they’ve endured, and the lessons they’ve carried forward.
• How fatherhood has influenced their understanding of legacy, and what they hope to leave behind for their own children and families.
• The shifts they’ve witnessed in our relationship as sisters—and how this project has impacted our family dynamics…and so much more!

This episode is raw, insightful, and deeply personal. It’s about what it means to be a strong, emotionally aware man in today’s world, how to navigate love and loss with intention, and how to build a life that truly matters.

Support the show

Ways to Connect:

If you have a story or expertise to share, please reach out & connect...we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about The P-I-G, sponsor and partner programs, and link to all episodes at https://www.thepigpodcast.com.

Connect on social at:

• https://www.facebook.com/podcast.thePIG
• https://www.instagram.com/thepigpodcast

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own because, “Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s how we live right now." If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you podcast, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with others.