Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What if a single moment in your grief revealed a truth that rewrote your entire identity? That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest, Rich Boerner, whose life changed forever after his mother’s passing. While cleaning out her apartment, Rich uncovered a long-hidden secret about his father—one that forced him to confront love, betrayal, forgiveness, and ultimately, healing.
This episode dives deep into the emotional terrain of family secrets, identity, and the surprising ways grief can open doors to growth we never expected.
🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• How growing up without a father shaped Rich’s beliefs about himself
• The shocking discovery that changed everything after his mother's death
• Why our family stories affect us long after childhood
• The emotional journey from anger to compassion
• How meeting his half-sister helped him understand the truth
• Why he felt called to write The Not So Only Child
• How humor, curiosity, and vulnerability became tools for healing
• What Rich hopes his story will teach his own children
📚 About Rich’s Book
Rich’s memoir, The Not So Only Child: My True Story, is a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and surprisingly funny exploration of identity and belonging. Perfect for anyone navigating complicated family dynamics, grief, or personal reinvention.
👉 Get the book: [Insert Amazon / Audible / Kindle link]
👉 Rich’s Website: [Insert link]
💬 Join the Conversation
Your experiences matter.
• Have you ever uncovered a surprising family truth?
• Did grief reveal something unexpected to you?
• What part of Rich’s story resonated most?
✨ Share your thoughts with us!
Leave a comment on YouTube, or join the discussion on grief2growth.substack.com
🔗 Connect with Rich
Website: [Insert link]
Instagram: [Insert ha
Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:
• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
Check it out at grief2growth.com/store
Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.
That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.
👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin (grief2growth.com/checkin)
This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.
Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck
Support the show (pages.grief2growth.com/products/grief-2-growth)
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group (facebook.com/groups/grief2growth) - Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) (buzzsprout.com/695488/supporters/new)
📰 Get A Free Gift (grief2growth.com/gifts)
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call (grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-complimentary)
📈 Leave A Review (ratethispodcast.com/grief2growth)
Thanks so much for your support
What if a single moment in your grief revealed a truth that rewrote your entire identity? That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest, Rich Boerner, whose life changed forever after his mother’s passing. While cleaning out her apartment, Rich uncovered a long-hidden secret about his father—one that forced him to confront love, betrayal, forgiveness, and ultimately, healing.
This episode dives deep into the emotional terrain of family secrets, identity, and the surprising ways grief can open doors to growth we never expected.
🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• How growing up without a father shaped Rich’s beliefs about himself
• The shocking discovery that changed everything after his mother's death
• Why our family stories affect us long after childhood
• The emotional journey from anger to compassion
• How meeting his half-sister helped him understand the truth
• Why he felt called to write The Not So Only Child
• How humor, curiosity, and vulnerability became tools for healing
• What Rich hopes his story will teach his own children
📚 About Rich’s Book
Rich’s memoir, The Not So Only Child: My True Story, is a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and surprisingly funny exploration of identity and belonging. Perfect for anyone navigating complicated family dynamics, grief, or personal reinvention.
👉 Get the book: [Insert Amazon / Audible / Kindle link]
👉 Rich’s Website: [Insert link]
💬 Join the Conversation
Your experiences matter.
• Have you ever uncovered a surprising family truth?
• Did grief reveal something unexpected to you?
• What part of Rich’s story resonated most?
✨ Share your thoughts with us!
Leave a comment on YouTube, or join the discussion on grief2growth.substack.com
🔗 Connect with Rich
Website: [Insert link]
Instagram: [Insert ha
Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:
• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
Check it out at grief2growth.com/store
Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.
That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.
👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin (grief2growth.com/checkin)
This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.
Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck
Support the show (pages.grief2growth.com/products/grief-2-growth)
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group (facebook.com/groups/grief2growth) - Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) (buzzsprout.com/695488/supporters/new)
📰 Get A Free Gift (grief2growth.com/gifts)
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call (grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-complimentary)
📈 Leave A Review (ratethispodcast.com/grief2growth)
Thanks so much for your support
