Two American sisters. Their mother's plea from her deathbed to finish her memoir leads them shockingly to their Nazi-linked grandfather. A Gracie Award-winning podcast. In this unforgettable Call Me Friend episode, host Daryn Kagan talks with Suzanne and Stephanie Rico about their gripping podcast The Man Who Calculated Death, exploring family legacy, Nazi Germany, and the truth hidden in a dying mother’s memoir. If you’re into family secrets, WWII history, or award winning storytelling this one’s for you.

In This Episode You Will Learn

How a dying mother’s memoir sparked a deep investigation into a Nazi-linked family history
The process of turning personal trauma and family secrets into an award-winning podcast
What it was like for two sisters to uncover their grandfather’s role in Hitler’s weapons program
The emotional and ethical weight of confronting Holocaust history within your own lineage
How science, journalism, and sisterhood came together to reveal uncomfortable truths
The real story behind the V-1 vengeance weapon and its ties to Nazi concentration camps
What the Rico sisters learned about legacy, generational trauma, and redemption
Behind the scenes of creating The Man Who Calculated Death as a sister-led podcast team
Why resilience, collaboration, and truth-telling are core to both their podcast and their healing journey

Discover how a journalist and a scientist used podcasting to unravel their grandfather’s role in Hitler’s weapons program and what they found at a concentration camp that changed everything.

Timestamps :

(00:00) A dying wish: Finish my memoir
(01:00) Meet Suzanne Rico and her Emmy-worthy storytelling
(02:36) How Facebook connected two recovering journalists
(05:28) Daryn discovers the powerful podcast The Man Who Calculated Death
(07:00) The legacy of their grandfather’s weapon design for Hitler
(08:36) Stephanie—voice memos, war stories, and Nazi archives
(11:06) From memoir to podcast: how it evolved
(13:12) Did their mom know they’d uncover Nazi secrets?
(15:00) The weight of truth: family guilt and generational trauma
(17:12) The V-1 vengeance weapon and ties to concentration camps
(19:06) Sisters reflect on truth, teamwork, and emotional healing
(21:42) The aunts: storytelling, survival, and sisterhood
(24:00) What the Rico sisters learned about resilience
(27:00) Legacy, redemption, and one powerful apology to a Holocaust survivor
(30:12) Behind the scenes: How working with a sister shapes the project
(34:36) Advice for sister teams launching podcasts

Key Takeaways:

A dying mother’s memoir launched a multi-year investigation into a family’s Nazi-linked past
Suzanne and Stephanie Rico used journalism, science, and family archives to create an award-winning podcast
Their grandfather designed Hitler’s V-1 vengeance weapon and joined the Nazi party for career survival
The sisters’ emotional journey included confronting Holocaust survivors and family myths
Sisterhood, resilience, and truth-telling are at the heart of both their podcast and their lives

Guest Bios:

Suzanne Rico is a former TV journalist turned podcast creator. She’s the writer, narrator, and producer of The Man Who Calculated Death, a deeply personal and award-winning exploration of her family's past.

Stephanie Rico is a sustainability strategist with a background in science. Fluent in German and equally devoted to the investigation, she joined her sister on this podcast journey, helping uncover crucial documents and interviewing family members.

Kallan Kagan is a creative producer and co-executive producer of Call Me Friend. With a background in storytelling, branding, and creative development, she brings a unique blend of heart and strategy to every project. As Daryn Kagan’s sister, Kallan offers a behind-the-scenes force of connection, structure, and style, helping to shape the podcast’s vision, tone, and emotional impact.

Resource Links:

🎧 Listen to The Man Who Calculated Death: Available on all major platforms
🌐 Bonus content and photos: TheManWhoCalculatedDeath.com
CallMeFriendPodcast.com – Join the conversation or leave a voicemail
Miss Lou’s Cabin:airbnb.com/h/mslouscabin
Call Me Friend Hotline: 912-766-0446 Call Daryn, leave a message, let her know about one of your friends who would make a great story.
Daryn’s Book: 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/3GPcicB

Keywords:

The Man Who Calculated Death, Suzanne Rico, Stephanie Rico, Nazi Germany, family secrets, WWII podcast, V-1 weapon, Holocaust, generational trauma, podcast sisters, memoir to podcast, storytelling, history podcast, Call Me Friend, Daryn Kagan, female podcasters, podcasting sisters, Gracie Award, redemption stories, truth telling, ww2, world war 2, Adolf Hitler