Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this deeply emotional episode of The Neil Haley Show, bestselling author Mary Shearer Eckert opens her heart to discuss one of the most painful experiences of her life—the loss of her oldest grandson, Ethan. While Mary is widely known for her inspirational novel Wounded Sisters, this conversation reveals the personal grief journey that is now shaping the sequel to her bestselling book. Through honesty, faith, and vulnerability, Mary offers listeners a powerful message about loss, healing, hope, and the role that faith plays in surviving life's darkest moments.
The discussion begins with Mary explaining that the following day marks the fifth anniversary of her grandson Ethan's tragic death in a car accident. Although she has spoken publicly about many difficult topics throughout her life, she admits that discussing Ethan remains one of the hardest subjects she has ever faced. Yet she believes it is important to share her experience because authenticity has always been central to both her writing and her ministry. Just as Wounded Sisters explores real struggles faced by women, the sequel will tackle another universal human experience: grief.
Mary reflects on how unexpected and overwhelming her grief was after Ethan's passing. As a registered nurse, she spent years caring for dying patients and supporting grieving families. She had also experienced the loss of her parents and siblings. Yet nothing prepared her for the devastation of losing her grandson. The emotional impact was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She describes it as a level of pain that completely shattered her world and challenged everything she thought she understood about grief and loss.
One of the most heartbreaking moments in the interview comes when Mary recalls the day she learned Ethan had died. Overwhelmed by sorrow, she retreated to her bedroom and prayed for God to stop her own heart. She openly shares that she did not want to continue living without him. Ethan had been more than a grandson; he was a constant presence in her life. Mary and her husband had helped raise him, watched him grow, and shared countless memories together. The grief was intensified by the fact that Ethan was preparing to be married, making the loss feel even more devastating.
Throughout the conversation, Mary emphasizes that grief is not merely sadness—it is a profound emotional and physical experience that can impact every aspect of a person's life. She discusses how deeply grief affected her mental health, causing her to withdraw from friends, family, writing, and activities she once enjoyed. For nearly two years, she struggled with severe depression, unable to find motivation or joy. During that period, even writing, which had always been a source of purpose and fulfillment, became impossible.
The timing of Ethan's death significantly affected the completion of Wounded Sisters. While many readers know that the novel took seven years to complete, Mary explains that two of those years were largely consumed by grief. The manuscript remained unfinished as she navigated depression and emotional exhaustion. Looking back, she now understands that the book's lengthy creation process was deeply intertwined with her personal healing journey.
A recurring symbol throughout Wounded Sisters is the sunflower, and Mary reveals the deeply personal reason behind its inclusion. Ethan loved sunflowers. As a child, he would ride with his grandfather during the family's wildflower farming operations and often brought sunflowers back to Mary. Today, those flowers remain a cherished reminder of his life and legacy. The sunflower became an important symbol within Wounded Sisters because of its tendency to turn toward the sun. In the novel, this symbolism is transformed into a spiritual lesson: wounded women are encouraged to turn toward the Son—Jesus Christ—for healing, strength, and restoration.
Mary also discusses the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She candidly describes how she experienced each stage personally. Initially, she refused to believe Ethan was gone. This denial eventually gave way to anger, including anger toward God. Mary admits there was a period when she wanted nothing to do with her faith because she could not understand why God would allow such a tragedy to occur. Later came bargaining and an extended period of depression that lasted nearly two years. Only after years of healing did she begin to move toward acceptance.
Acceptance, however, does not mean forgetting. Mary explains that acceptance means learning to live with loss while holding onto hope. Her faith eventually became the foundation that helped her survive. Christian friends, prayer, church community, and her belief in eternal life provided strength when she felt unable to move forward. She credits the Holy Spirit and the support of fellow believers with helping her emerge from the darkness of grief.
In this deeply emotional episode of The Neil Haley Show, bestselling author Mary Shearer Eckert opens her heart to discuss one of the most painful experiences of her life—the loss of her oldest grandson, Ethan. While Mary is widely known for her inspirational novel Wounded Sisters, this conversation reveals the personal grief journey that is now shaping the sequel to her bestselling book. Through honesty, faith, and vulnerability, Mary offers listeners a powerful message about loss, healing, hope, and the role that faith plays in surviving life's darkest moments.
The discussion begins with Mary explaining that the following day marks the fifth anniversary of her grandson Ethan's tragic death in a car accident. Although she has spoken publicly about many difficult topics throughout her life, she admits that discussing Ethan remains one of the hardest subjects she has ever faced. Yet she believes it is important to share her experience because authenticity has always been central to both her writing and her ministry. Just as Wounded Sisters explores real struggles faced by women, the sequel will tackle another universal human experience: grief.
Mary reflects on how unexpected and overwhelming her grief was after Ethan's passing. As a registered nurse, she spent years caring for dying patients and supporting grieving families. She had also experienced the loss of her parents and siblings. Yet nothing prepared her for the devastation of losing her grandson. The emotional impact was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She describes it as a level of pain that completely shattered her world and challenged everything she thought she understood about grief and loss.
One of the most heartbreaking moments in the interview comes when Mary recalls the day she learned Ethan had died. Overwhelmed by sorrow, she retreated to her bedroom and prayed for God to stop her own heart. She openly shares that she did not want to continue living without him. Ethan had been more than a grandson; he was a constant presence in her life. Mary and her husband had helped raise him, watched him grow, and shared countless memories together. The grief was intensified by the fact that Ethan was preparing to be married, making the loss feel even more devastating.
Throughout the conversation, Mary emphasizes that grief is not merely sadness—it is a profound emotional and physical experience that can impact every aspect of a person's life. She discusses how deeply grief affected her mental health, causing her to withdraw from friends, family, writing, and activities she once enjoyed. For nearly two years, she struggled with severe depression, unable to find motivation or joy. During that period, even writing, which had always been a source of purpose and fulfillment, became impossible.
The timing of Ethan's death significantly affected the completion of Wounded Sisters. While many readers know that the novel took seven years to complete, Mary explains that two of those years were largely consumed by grief. The manuscript remained unfinished as she navigated depression and emotional exhaustion. Looking back, she now understands that the book's lengthy creation process was deeply intertwined with her personal healing journey.
A recurring symbol throughout Wounded Sisters is the sunflower, and Mary reveals the deeply personal reason behind its inclusion. Ethan loved sunflowers. As a child, he would ride with his grandfather during the family's wildflower farming operations and often brought sunflowers back to Mary. Today, those flowers remain a cherished reminder of his life and legacy. The sunflower became an important symbol within Wounded Sisters because of its tendency to turn toward the sun. In the novel, this symbolism is transformed into a spiritual lesson: wounded women are encouraged to turn toward the Son—Jesus Christ—for healing, strength, and restoration.
Mary also discusses the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She candidly describes how she experienced each stage personally. Initially, she refused to believe Ethan was gone. This denial eventually gave way to anger, including anger toward God. Mary admits there was a period when she wanted nothing to do with her faith because she could not understand why God would allow such a tragedy to occur. Later came bargaining and an extended period of depression that lasted nearly two years. Only after years of healing did she begin to move toward acceptance.
Acceptance, however, does not mean forgetting. Mary explains that acceptance means learning to live with loss while holding onto hope. Her faith eventually became the foundation that helped her survive. Christian friends, prayer, church community, and her belief in eternal life provided strength when she felt unable to move forward. She credits the Holy Spirit and the support of fellow believers with helping her emerge from the darkness of grief.
