When Life-Changing Experiences Bring People Together (Steph guests on Thanks for Asking)

When Life-Changing Experiences Bring People Together (Steph guests on Thanks for Asking)

Author: Lemonada Media September 4, 2026 Duration: 57:37
Most friendships start because you have something in common: work, hobbies, fashion, books, sense of humor. But not all friendships are formed because of something wholesome in common. Sometimes, you share an experience so life-changing that you are drawn to each other. That is how, nine years ago, Nora and Steph Wittels Wachs became friends. Steph lost her brother, Harris, to an opioid overdose. Grievers can always find common ground: losing someone changes you. If you have lived this before, you’ll find it feeling familiar. If you haven’t, consider yourself lucky. Watching a family member suffer from opioid addiction is crushing. Losing them is debilitating. Watch us on YouTube here! Get this episode ad-free here! Listen to Geoffrey’s album on Spotify and Apple! You can buy Nora’s books on Bookshop or Amazon, or wherever you buy books. Nora is on IG, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn. Order Steph’s book Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis at https://bit.ly/LastDayBook, and the audiobook at https://bit.ly/3RW4WtF, or wherever books and audiobooks are sold. LAST DAY BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE Please join Steph on the road and RSVP at the links below! 📍 Carmel Valley, CA Saturday, September 12th, 7:00 PM at Olivia & Daisy Books. Reserve your spot → 📍 Houston, TX Thursday, September 17th, 7:00 PM at Blue Willow Bookshop. Reserve your spot → 📍 Summerland, CA Friday, September 25th at Godmother's Books, in conversation with Jennifer Rudolph Walsh. Reserve your spot → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted by Stephanie Wittels Wachs, a co-founder of Lemonada Media who has been aptly described as an award-winning queen of darkness and light, Last Day delves into the profound human experiences that redefine who we are. This podcast centers on conversations about survival, resilience, and personal transformation, often through stories that blend joy and sorrow. For its first three seasons, the focus was on examining the "last day" within the context of widespread societal epidemics, a heavy but crucial exploration. Now, Stephanie herself felt a shift was necessary, signaling an evolution in the show's direction. Each episode features a different guest, and through these intimate discussions, listeners are invited into raw, honest accounts of pivotal moments. The tone is conversational yet deeply thoughtful, avoiding simple answers in favor of nuanced understanding. It’s a Last Day podcast that sits comfortably at the intersection of society and culture, asking how we navigate life after everything changes. You’ll hear laughter, tears, and the quiet revelations that come from people recounting the events that shaped them, all framed by Stephanie’s empathetic and insightful guidance. The series doesn’t shy away from complexity, instead finding the universal threads in uniquely personal journeys.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Last Day
Podcast Episodes
Destigmatizing Drug Use [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:46
Stephen Murray wants to change how we view drug users. After overcoming his own substance use disorder in his early 20s, he went on to save countless lives from overdose as a paramedic. He's now the founder and Executive…
Talking to Kids About Drugs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:16
How do we create smart drug education that actually makes an impact on the next generation? After losing their son Charlie to an accidental fentanyl overdose, Ed and Mary Ternan created Song for Charlie to educate young…
Loneliness is Curable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:10
What role does connection play in helping us survive life's hardest moments? In this episode, Stephanie talks to Allison Gilbert, a journalist, speaker, and the creator of More Connected, a first-of-its-kind app helping…
Dear Dealer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:33
When Nadia Bowers's sister Sasha died of fentanyl overdose in 2015, Nadia was seven months pregnant with her first child and had gotten married just six weeks earlier. Suddenly she had to ask herself: how do I go on afte…
Last Day Is Back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:16
Stephanie Wittels Wachs has written a new book, Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis – and to celebrate, the podcast is back for a four-episode mini-season. In these new episodes, we’ll revisi…
Talkaboutable Sneak Peek: Tips for Picky Eaters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:19
Get a sneak peek of Season 2 of Talkaboutable, hosted by child psychiatrist Dr. Susan Swick! In this episode, Dr. Swick sits down with a mom tackling one of the most universal parenting struggles: picky eating. Listen in…
Introducing: Senseless with Erika Mahoney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:55
This week we’re introducing you to a powerful new podcast, Senseless with Erika Mahoney. Everything changed one ordinary Monday, when Erika Mahoney’s mom called to say there was an active shooter at the grocery store nea…
Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:52
Gun violence in America is at a crisis point. It’s now the number one killer of kids and teens – a stat that should make us all pause. But instead of throwing up their hands, healthcare leaders, gun violence survivors, p…
Last Day Presents: “Making Peace with The End” (Squeezed Ep 7) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:07
On this Christmas Day, we’re sharing the last episode of Squeezed, fittingly about the end of life. ​​Alua is a renowned death doula, author, and educator who believes that living fully requires all of us to face mortali…