A Life-Changing Phone Call, Fostering & Fatherhood: Darren Graham’s Journey to Becoming a Single Dad

Alisyn Camerota on Loss, Love & Starting Over The Moment Everything Changed

Grief, loss, career reinvention, and starting over after tragedy take center stage in this powerful conversation with journalist and author Alisyn Camerota. When life changes in an instant, how do you rebuild, find purpose, and move forward? In this emotional episode of Call Me Friend, Daryn Kagan sits down with Alisyn to unpack what it really takes to navigate loss, trauma, and major life transitions. From her experience with workplace harassment and power abuse during the Me Too era to the devastating loss of her husband to pancreatic cancer, Alisyn shares the raw truth about grief recovery, emotional healing, resilience, and rebuilding your life after loss. This conversation dives into career setbacks, personal growth, relationships, and finding strength after tragedy, showing how even the hardest moments can lead to transformation, clarity, and a completely new path forward. IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ✅ How to rebuild your life after loss and grief ✅ The truth about career reinvention and starting over ✅ What resilience actually looks like in real life ✅ How relationships and timing shape your life path ✅ The reality of workplace abuse and how to recognize it Powered by Ms Lou’s Cabin https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] Timestamps * 0:00 Workplace harassment, Roger Ailes, and the defining career moment * 3:58 Daryn’s intro and the Call Me Friend setup * 5:05 How Daryn and Alisyn connect through journalism * 7:39 The golden era of CNN and purpose-driven journalism * 11:13 Leaving CNN, management changes, and shifting priorities * 13:10 Meeting Tim, commitment, and being ready for love * 18:40 Marriage, infertility, IVF, and building a family * 19:54 The pancreatic cancer diagnosis that changed everything * 20:18 “A grenade thrown into our lives” – everything changes instantly * 22:30 Navigating the emotional impact of a terminal diagnosis * 25:10 How their family dynamic shifted overnight * 28:40 Living through uncertainty and anticipatory grief * 33:30 Me Too Story: Roger Ailes, Fox News, Navigating Power, Fear & Career Risk * 35:50 Processing fear, reality, and what comes next * 46:47 Asking for a Friend: what to say to someone facing grief * 58:08 Daryn’s closing thoughts and episode wrap-up KEY TAKEAWAYS 🔹 Loss can completely reshape your identity and purpose 🔹 Career setbacks can lead to unexpected opportunities 🔹 Emotional healing requires honesty, time, and support 🔹 True resilience is built through life’s hardest moments Check out my interview with Bill Hemmer: https://youtu.be/x1VuM_awknA?si=dsX5DNGxA4u1HHic GUEST BIO Alisyn Camerota is an award-winning journalist, television anchor, and author known for her work on major news networks including CNN and Fox News. She is widely respected for her reporting, storytelling, and advocacy, particularly around issues of workplace culture, personal resilience, and women’s experiences in media. Her journey through grief, career reinvention, and personal growth has inspired audiences around the world. * Alisyn's memoir Combat Love: https://amzn.to/4bTOBwY [https://amzn.to/4bTOBwY] * Alisyn substack: https://alisyncamerota.substack.com/ [https://alisyncamerota.substack.com/] * "Hostage" by Eli Sharabi https://amzn.to/4vha1vu [https://amzn.to/4vha1vu] * "That's The Way God Planned It" documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEOdCPoHRn4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEOdCPoHRn4] RESOURCES & LINKS * Powered by Ms Lou’s Cabin- https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] * Sign up for our newsletter: https://darynkagan.substack.com/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] * Hope Possible: A Network News Anchor's Thoughts On Losing Her Job, Finding Love, A New Career, and My Dog, Always My Dog https://amzn.to/4az2X5f [https://amzn.to/4az2X5f] * Miles Husband: MilesHusband.com [http://mileshusband.com] loss and grief, resilience, career reinvention, Alisyn Camerota, Fox, CNN, news anchor, overcoming loss, grief healing, personal growth, life after loss, pancreatic cancer story, rebuilding your life, emotional resilience, women in media, career transition, mental strength, life challenges

Training the Competition: NFL Reporter Laura Okmin on Why She Trains Other Women to Take Her Job

Daryn Kagan reconnects with longtime friend and NFL sideline reporter Laura Okmin to explore career burnout, finding purpose, and building real confidence. Named to Sports Illustrated’s list of the most powerful, influential women in sports, Laura discusses why she trains other women for sideline roles, how she handles pressure, and what friendship gives her in moments of doubt. Listen for candid stories and practical perspectives on reclaiming purpose after high achievement. Named to Sports Illustrated’s list of the most powerful, influential, and outstanding women in sports today, Laura is recognized as a true game-changer—someone who is speaking out, setting the bar, and making a lasting impact. Laura shares the moment that changed everything, a near plane crash that forced her to confront the reality that she didn’t care if she lived or died. That wake-up call led her to rebuild her life from the inside out, shifting from chasing success to creating purpose, stronger relationships, and true confidence. They also discuss women in sports, mentorship, competition, and why Laura chose to support the very women who could replace her. Through her organization GALvanize, she now helps thousands of women build confidence, find their voice, and grow into leadership. IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ✅ How career burnout can show up even when you “have it all” ✅ Why finding purpose matters more than checking success boxes ✅ The mindset shift from competition to empowering others ✅ How to build real confidence, identity, and meaningful relationships POWERED BY MS LOU’S CABIN HTTPS://WWW.AIRBNB.COM/H/MSLOUSCABIN [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] TIMESTAMPS (00:00) The Moment That Changed Everything (Career Burnout Wake-Up Call) (01:00) Breaking Into Sports as a Woman (Early Career Struggles) (07:00) Rejection, Confidence, and Surviving a Competitive Industry (11:30) Women in Sports Today vs. Then -What Still Hasn’t Changed (20:25) The Plane Story That Forced Her to Rethink Her Life (23:00) From Success to Purpose -Rebuilding Identity and Happiness (27:00) Why Success Without Relationships Feels Empty (31:03) From Competition to Empowerment -Helping Other Women Win (34:30) Building GALvanize and Empowering Women in Sports (43:10) Leaving a Dream Career and Finding What’s Next KEY TAKEAWAYS 🔹 Success without purpose can still lead to burnout and emptiness 🔹 Confidence comes from knowing who you are, not what you do 🔹 Supporting others can create more opportunity than competition 🔹 Real fulfillment comes from relationships, growth, and alignment GUEST BIO Laura Okmin is a veteran NFL sideline reporter, leadership coach, and founder of GALvanize, an organization dedicated to empowering women in sports and beyond. With decades of experience in broadcasting and mentorship, she now focuses on helping individuals and teams build confidence, connection, and purpose-driven leadership. Website: lauraokmin.com [http://lauraokmin.com/] Miramar jeans: https://amzn.to/4lFFIuc [https://amzn.to/4lFFIuc] RESOURCES & LINKS * Powered by Ms Lou’s Cabin- https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] * Sign up for our newsletter: https://darynkagan.substack.com/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] * Hope Possible: A Network News Anchor's Thoughts On Losing Her Job, Finding Love, A New Career, and My Dog, Always My Dog https://amzn.to/4az2X5f [https://amzn.to/4az2X5f] * Miles Husband: MilesHusband.com [http://mileshusband.com] career burnout, finding purpose, women in sports, confidence building, personal growth, leadership development, NFL sideline reporter, mentorship, identity, life transformation, GALvanize

A Life-Changing Phone Call, Fostering & Fatherhood: Darren Graham’s Journey to Becoming a Single Dad

He thought the call was spam. Hours later, he was standing in a hospital NICU meeting a two-pound baby fighting for his life. Adoption, fatherhood, healing, and the power of intentional love are at the heart of this emotional episode of Call Me Friend. Host Daryn Kagan connects with content creator, writer, and single father Darren Graham to explore a life-changing story about foster care, adoption, and the unexpected journey to becoming a parent. Darren never planned to become a father overnight. After applying years earlier to become a foster parent, he received a phone call that would change everything. Within hours he was standing in a hospital NICU meeting a two-day-old premature baby fighting for his life. That baby became “Ducky”. In this powerful conversation, Darren shares how growing up without a father shaped his desire to parent differently, why intentional community matters, and how becoming a father helped heal parts of his own childhood. This episode is about more than adoption. It is about love, resilience, chosen family, and the moments that completely transform the direction of our lives. IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ✅ How a single phone call led to Darren Graham becoming a father within hours ✅ What the foster care and adoption journey looked like behind the scenes ✅ Why Darren believes community and intentional love can change lives ✅ How fatherhood helped heal parts of his own childhood ✅ The surprising lessons Darren learned about love, identity, and purpose POWERED BY MS LOU’S CABIN HTTPS://WWW.AIRBNB.COM/H/MSLOUSCABIN [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] TIMESTAMPS 00:00 A Life-Changing Phone Call, Fostering & Fatherhood 02:10 How the Instagram algorithm introduced Daryn to Darren 07:07 Building an intentional online community 11:19 Darren’s childhood and moving from the Caribbean to Brooklyn 15:01 From education to writing, fashion, and social media 19:50 Meeting “Ducky” and becoming a father 22:24 The foster care call that led to adoption 27:04 The moment Darren held Ducky for the first time 30:20 The judge who changed the course of the adoption case 33:02 Why Darren knew he had to adopt Ducky 36:17 How fatherhood healed Darren’s past 38:02 The biggest surprises about becoming a dad 39:01 The hardest part of parenting 40:27 Parenting, love, and learning through a child’s eyes KEY TAKEAWAYS 🔹 Sometimes life changes in a single phone call. Darren went from living a normal day to meeting his future son within hours. 🔹 Adoption is a two-way transformation. Both parent and child shape each other’s healing and growth. 🔹 Intentional community matters. Darren built his online platform to inspire people to keep going through life’s hardest moments. 🔹 Parenthood reveals who we truly are. Becoming a father helped Darren understand love in a deeper way than he ever expected. GUEST BIO Darren Graham is a writer, editor, content creator, and speaker known for his intentional and uplifting social media presence. Originally from St. Vincent in the Caribbean, Darren moved to Brooklyn as a child and spent over a decade working in education supporting children and families. Today he works in media and fashion publishing while building a global online community focused on healing, resilience, and authentic connection. Darren is also the proud father of “Ducky”, whose adoption story has inspired thousands of people around the world. Instagram [https://96a2bd10.streaklinks.com/CytnlNNJSVVqX36HjALCIr11/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ftherealdarrengraham] TikTok [https://96a2bd10.streaklinks.com/CytnlNVWFhr8V6A6IQo7Yo17/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40iamdarrengraham] Threads [https://96a2bd10.streaklinks.com/CytnlNN5OeM9vLmoYQzQ5Yzt/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.threads.com%2F%40therealdarrengraham] Substack [https://96a2bd10.streaklinks.com/CytnlNNT08ItxHNdZg-Oz_VR/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2F%40thecommunitycafe] Youtube [https://96a2bd10.streaklinks.com/CytnlNRzM7ynkdvRtAIlu5gQ/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2F%40DuckyAndDada] RESOURCES * Powered by Ms Lou’s Cabin- https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] * Sign up for our newsletter: https://darynkagan.substack.com/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] * Hope Possible: A Network News Anchor's Thoughts On Losing Her Job, Finding Love, A New Career, and My Dog, Always My Dog https://amzn.to/4az2X5f [https://amzn.to/4az2X5f] adoption story, single dad adoption, foster care adoption, fatherhood journey, parenting podcast, intentional living, adoption journey, parenting inspiration, healing through parenthood, Call Me Friend podcast

How a Single Cookie & Three Cancer Battles Created Purpose for a Mother & Daughter

When life delivers unthinkable loss, what happens next can change everything. Cancer survival, grief and healing, a mother-daughter business, resilience after loss, and turning pain into purpose and connection are all discussed on this episode of Call Me Friend, featuring Laura Stachler and her daughter Susan Stachler. This is an inside-out story of grief, resilience, and purpose. After losing Laura’s sister Susan to Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the family later faced the same diagnosis again when daughter Susan was in college. What followed was cancer treatment, uncertainty, and an unexpected idea that started in a garage and grew into a nationally loved business built on comfort, connection, and saying “I’m thinking of you.” Together, they share how baking became therapy, how a single ginger snap helped ease chemo nausea, and how Susan Snaps grew into a way to support people during life’s hardest moments. This episode explores what it means to move through trauma, redefine success, and build community when you feel like an outsider. If you believe small gestures matter, this conversation will stay with you. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN ✅ How grief can become a catalyst for purpose ✅ What it means to build a business after cancer ✅ Why baking became a form of healing ✅ How Susansnaps grew from a garage to a national brand ✅ Why perspective changes everything after loss ✅ How small acts of kindness create real community POWERED BY MS LOU’S CABIN HTTPS://WWW.AIRBNB.COM/H/MSLOUSCABIN [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HTTPS://DARYNKAGAN.SUBSTACK.COM/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] KEY TIMESTAMPS 00:00 An inside-out story of loss and resilience 04:10 Losing a sister to Hodgkin’s lymphoma 07:40 A shocking cancer diagnosis repeats generations later 11:00 Baking as therapy during chemo 12:45 The ginger snap that changed everything 15:20 Turning comfort into a business 18:00 Mother-daughter business dynamics 21:00 Perspective after surviving cancer 23:45 “Asking for a Friend” advice on belonging 27:50 Being told “you can’t” and proving otherwise 34:00 Why kindness matters more than perfection KEY TAKEAWAYS 🔹 Trauma changes perspective forever 🔹 Healing can start in unexpected places 🔹 Purpose often grows out of pain 🔹 Community is built through small, consistent kindness 🔹 You don’t have to fit in to make an impact GUEST BIO Laura Stachler and her daughter Susan Stachler are the founders of Susansnaps, a cookie company born out of cancer treatment, love, and the need to bring comfort to others. What began as homemade ginger snaps shared at a cancer center has grown into a nationally recognized brand known for connection, compassion, and showing up when words fall short. RESOURCES & MENTIONS 1. Susansnaps: https://susansnaps.com/ [https://susansnaps.com/] 2. Angel Flight Soars https://www.angelflightsoars.org/ [https://www.angelflightsoars.org/] 3. Jack Black Lip Balm https://amzn.to/4sl1ntV [https://amzn.to/4sl1ntV] 4. Powered by Ms Lou’s Cabin- https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] 5. Sign up for our newsletter: https://darynkagan.substack.com/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] 6. Hope Possible: A Network News Anchor's Thoughts On Losing Her Job, Finding Love, A New Career, and My Dog, Always My Dog https://amzn.to/4az2X5f [https://amzn.to/4az2X5f] SusanSnaps, mother daughter business, cancer survival story, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, grief and resilience, turning pain into purpose, women-owned business, small business origin story, baking as healing, comfort food with meaning, community through kindness, starting a business from home, overcoming loss, family resilience, Call Me Friend podcast

Mary Kay Andrews on Grief, Aging Boldly, and Speaking Without Apology

Reinvention after 70 is not about starting over, it’s about evolving with clarity and courage. On Call Me Friend, Daryn Kagan calls bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews for a raw, honest conversation about aging boldly, personal loss, career pivots, and finally saying what matters most. Mary Kay shares how she transitioned from newspaper journalism to writing more than 30 bestselling novels, why losing her daughter changed how she shows up in the world, and what pushed her to become outspoken on social media later in life. Together, they explore why evolution matters more than reinvention, how grief and purpose can coexist, and why having fewer filters can actually bring more connection. This episode also touches on health after 70, finding meaning through advocacy, and why pivoting is one of the most important life skills as we age. If you are navigating change, grief, or wondering what’s next in midlife or beyond, this conversation will remind you that growth doesn’t have an expiration date. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN ✅ Why evolution matters more than reinvention as we age ✅ How Mary Kay Andrews left journalism to become a bestselling author ✅ How grief reshaped her priorities and sense of purpose ✅ Why she decided to speak out politically later in life ✅ How to pivot without a safety net ✅ Why aging can bring freedom instead of fear POWERED BY MS LOU’S CABIN HTTPS://WWW.AIRBNB.COM/H/MSLOUSCABIN [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HTTPS://DARYNKAGAN.SUBSTACK.COM/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Reinvention after 70 and evolving without apology (04:10) Health, aging, and changing habits later in life (08:00) Leaving journalism and secretly writing fiction (13:20) Getting published by breaking the rules (18:40) Creating the Mary Kay Andrews pen name (24:10) Losing her daughter and navigating grief (28:30) Advocacy, purpose, and speaking out (33:40) Social media, backlash, and finding your voice (37:30) Why pivoting is the ultimate life skill KEY TAKEAWAYS 🔹 Reinvention doesn’t always mean starting over 🔹 Grief and purpose can exist at the same time 🔹 Aging brings clarity and courage 🔹 Pivoting is a skill that grows with time GUEST BIO Mary Kay Andrews is a New York Times bestselling author with more than 30 novels published. A former newspaper journalist, she built a second career writing beloved Southern fiction and mysteries. Today, she is also known for her outspoken advocacy, powerful storytelling, and fearless honesty about aging, loss, and purpose. RESOURCES 1. Mary Kay Andrews new book "Road Trip" https://amzn.to/3OebLVs [https://amzn.to/3OebLVs] 2. Friends and Fiction:https://friendsandfiction.com/ [https://friendsandfiction.com/] 3. Helping Mamas: https://helpingmamas.org/ [https://helpingmamas.org/] 4. Department Q: https://www.netflix.com/title/81487660 [https://www.netflix.com/title/81487660] 5. Powered by Ms Lou’s Cabin- https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin [https://www.airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin] 6. Sign up for our newsletter: https://darynkagan.substack.com/ [https://darynkagan.substack.com/] 7. "Hope Possible" https://amzn.to/46uNoJ9 [https://amzn.to/46uNoJ9] reinvention after 70, aging, women reinventing themselves later in life, grief and healing, finding purpose later in life, second act careers for women, personal growth after loss, women over 60 redefining aging, evolving instead of reinventing, personal growth,