Listen To The Sweetest Letter To These Bert's Big Adventure Siblings

Summary

The Bert Show - Episode Summary

Episode Title: Listen To The Sweetest Letter To These Bert's Big Adventure Siblings
Date: February 23, 2026
Podcast: The Bert Show

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Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode of The Bert Show focuses on the unique bonds between siblings in families taking part in Bert’s Big Adventure 2026, a program that offers magical experiences to children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. The episode centers around one such family, celebrating how the siblings support each other through extraordinary circumstances, mixing plenty of laughter and tears. Midway, a touching letter from their mother, Beth, to her children becomes the emotional highlight, paying tribute to the resilience and love within the family.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introductions and Family Dynamics

[01:31 – 02:55]

• The cast introduces a vibrant family group: Manny, Laney, Beth (parent), Olivia, Mari (older sibling), Torion, Ensley, and others.
• The hosts joke about running out of microphones due to the large, close-knit group.
• Manny, dubbed "Manny the Man," is celebrated for his confidence and charm, especially during a memorable experience at Disney’s Bibbidi Boppidi Boutique.
  • Quote [02:23]: "He’s already Prince Charming and he knows that… he was hugging on himself in the mirror before he even became a prince." — Host (Burke)

Special Experiences at Disney

[02:13 – 03:01]

• Discussion around Bibbidi Boppidi Boutique’s inclusivity, transforming boys into Prince Charming and handing them swords and shields, boosting their confidence.
• Highlights the joy and pride parents experience watching their kids find magic in such moments.

The Importance of Siblings’ Support

[03:20 – 05:24]

• Beth (parent) shares that Manny has trisomy 21 and congenital heart disease while Laney is a cancer survivor—both are Bert’s Big Adventure Kids.
• Amanda (family observer) reflects on the selflessness and support prevalent among the siblings:
  • Mari is seen delightfully doing makeovers for younger sister Ensley in a hotel bathroom.
  • AJ, an older brother from another family, uses his gift card to surprise his brother Aiden.
• The theme emerges that older siblings, despite personal grief and challenges, actively share in their siblings' joy and happiness.
  • Quote [04:58]: "They were always smiling… you could just see how much contentment it brought them to watch their siblings experience joy when they've had to be selfless for years." — Amanda

Sibling Perspective and Family Pride

[05:41 – 07:15]

• Mari, the eldest sibling, shares her perspective:
  • She describes being a role model, sharing clothes and makeup, and hosting regular "sleepovers" with her siblings even after heading to college.
  • Acknowledges sometimes needing space, especially with the "wild child" Ensley, but stresses the closeness.
  • Quote [06:01]: "They like to have sleepovers in my room. They will always be in my bed. Even the times where I left college, they were still in my bed." — Mari
• The hosts and Beth praise the love, unity, and mutual care in the family.
  • Quote [06:49]: "Thank God for Maury." — Beth (parent)

Emotional Moments and Grandparent Reflections

[07:16 – 08:32]

• Host (Burke) recalls nearly being moved to tears by Olivia’s emotional hug at Bibbidi Boppidi Boutique.
• The grandmother likens the excitement to milestone life events.
  • Quote [07:32]: "It reminded me of prom, of getting ready for a wedding. It was just a big event… It was so beautiful." — Grandmother
• She shares delight in seeing even the youngest family members enjoying roller coasters and adventures.

Family Fun and Humor

[08:32 – 09:47]

• Discussion turns to Disney ride favorites (Tron, Slinky Dog) and family stamina at the park.
• Lainey is praised for her effective fart jokes, bringing laughter and much-needed levity for the whole group.
  • Quote [09:33]: "There has to be humor when you have a family this size going through what they're going through." — Host (Burke)
• The necessity of finding joy and laughter amidst adversity is emphasized.

The Sweetest Letter: A Mother’s Words

[09:47 – 10:45]

• Beth reads a touching letter to Laney and Manny:
  • She expresses gratitude for the lessons her children have taught her: patience, faith, resilience, and self-belief.
  • Highlights Laney’s bravery and Manny’s joy, calling them her "favorite superheroes."
  • Quote [09:52]: "Parents are supposed to teach their kids, but Laney and Manny, you have taught me… to have the greatest faith, resilience, and that you can achieve any goal as long as you believe in yourself." — Beth
  • Quote [10:33]: "Manny, the sweetest guy ever. You’ve taught me not to take anything for granted, take joy in all the wins, and to enter every day like it’s the best day ever. You’re both my favorite superheroes." — Beth

Last Words and A Sense of Community

[10:45 – 10:59]

• The hosts reaffirm how glad they are to have the family as part of their extended Bert’s Big Adventure group.
  • Quote [10:47]: "So glad you guys are part of our family now. Hope to see you at all of our reunions." — Host (Burke)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:23] Host (Burke): "He is already Prince Charming and he knows that… he was hugging on himself in the mirror before he even became a prince."
• [04:58] Amanda: "They were always smiling… you could just see how much contentment it brought them to watch their siblings experience joy when they've had to be selfless for years."
• [06:01] Mari: "They like to have sleepovers in my room… Even the times where I left college, they were still in my bed."
• [07:32] Grandmother: "It reminded me of prom, of getting ready for a wedding. It was just a big event…"
• [09:33] Host (Burke): "There has to be humor when you have a family this size going through what they're going through."
• [09:52] Beth: "Parents are supposed to teach their kids, but Laney and Manny, you have taught me…"
• [10:33] Beth: "Manny, the sweetest guy ever. You’ve taught me not to take anything for granted… You’re both my favorite superheroes."

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:31 – Family introductions and Manny’s big personality
• 02:13 – Bibbidi Boppidi Boutique experience for the boys
• 03:01 – Beth discusses Manny and Laney’s medical journeys
• 03:41 – Amanda describes sibling support moments
• 06:01 – Mari shares about being the oldest sibling
• 07:32 – Emotional grandma moment after the princess experience
• 08:32 – Family’s favorite rides and theme park adventures
• 09:19 – Lainey’s legendary fart jokes
• 09:47 – Beth reads her touching letter to her children
• 10:45 – Hosts reinforce the family’s place in the Bert’s Big Adventure community

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Summary Flow & Tone

The episode is full of warmth and authenticity, blending humor, vulnerability, and pride. The tone remains upbeat and supportive, as the hosts facilitate genuine moments between the family members—especially highlighting the often unseen strength of siblings in families facing extraordinary health challenges. The letter from Beth encapsulates the gratitude and admiration parents can feel for their children's courage and resilience.

Listeners will leave inspired, entertained, and deeply moved—even without having heard the full broadcast.

Transcript

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[Host (likely named Burke)]

Hey, it is birch. Big Adventure 2026 here. We're going to be rolling deep with this family here. We got Manny, we've got Laney, we got Beth, we got Olivia, we got Mari, we got Torion, we got Ensley. The list goes on and on and on.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

And we have so many people who have stories to share about this incredible family that we ran out of microphones.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

I will tell you something about Manny here, man. The confidence on this kid.

[Mari (older sibling)]

Whoa.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Manny the Man. That's Manny the Man, right there.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

He is the man I had to keep my eyes on because you're a little too close to my fiance. Yeah, I got you, too, dude. Point at me. I'm pointing at you. He's got the attitude. And I'll tell you what, when we were at Bibbidi Boppity Boutique and I didn't realize this until this year, did they just start this this year with the princess?

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

They do. They've been doing it for a while.

[Mari (older sibling)]

Have they?

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

They'll do.

[Grandmother]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

For the for the boys that want to have to have kind of special experience at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, they'll turn them into Prince Charming.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

So he's already Prince Charming and he knows that he was hugging on himself in the mirror before he even became a prince. And then they put a sword and a shield in his hands and the confidence of this kid, every time he would raise his sword and everybody in Bibbidi Boppity Boutique would start applauding for him. He was milking it, man. It was fun.

[Beth (parent)]

Yes, absolutely.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

That was a great time there, wasn't it?

[Beth (parent)]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

That's one of the most special things is watching your kid at Bibbidi Boppity turn into a princess and a prince now.

[Beth (parent)]

Yes, absolutely. He loved it.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

So let's talk a little bit about Manny and Lainey also. Can you tell everybody why they're Burke's Big Adventure Kids?

[Beth (parent)]

Yes, absolutely. So Manny is a Burt's Big Adventure Kid because He has trisomy 21. He also has congenital heart disease. And Laney is a Burt's Big Adventure Kid because she is a survivor. She's a cancer survivor.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

I think this is probably a really great time to start talking about siblings also. Not only our Burke's Big Adventure Kids, but siblings as well, because this family is probably the shining example of a rolling family unit that really helps each other out. And Amanda picked up on it a couple of days also.

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

Yeah, so the first time that I really noticed this was with Mari and Inslee in the bathroom at the hotel. And I walked in, you know, it's seven o' clock in the morning at the send off, and Mari has her like blush and glitter out and is basically doing a little salon moment with Inslee with just so much joy and happiness. And I feel like that's something that's kind of been a theme throughout this trip, is we have several older siblings. And, you know, these kids are navigating their own challenges and grief from the trauma that they've watched their family go through. But they were still continuously thinking about their siblings. And I saw AJ surprise Aiden and use his gift card to get. And AJ's 18 and he used his gift card to surprise his brother Aiden with a Star wars gift that, like Bert was saying earlier, Aiden wasn't, you know, wanting to buy anything, but AJ knew that he would like that. And so he spent the money on him and these kids and then even Eli and Evan and how they kind of stayed in the background, but they were always smiling when their siblings were man he's distracting me right now.

[Beth (parent)]

He's so cute.

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

They were always smiling, and you could just see how much contentment it brought them to watch their siblings experience the joy when they've had to be selfless for years just out of obligation, because that's just the life that they've been given. So I really have enjoyed watching you guys and just how you support each other and how you could be doing anything else. But you are excited for your. For your siblings.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

That has to be such a proud mom moment when you see all your. All of your kids taking care of each other like that, and the older siblings stepping up just to make sure that everybody is well taken care of.

[Beth (parent)]

Yes. Everyone has to help out, step in and make sure we have everyone, too.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Head on a swivel to make sure we have everybody. Mari, I wanted you to talk about, like, being a sibling of a child like this also and kind of represent other siblings, because it is kind of a tough role sometimes. I mean, you're in the background, but you're also supporting. So can you speak to that? Because you do it so well and with so much grace.

[Mari (older sibling)]

Yeah. So I always like to be with my siblings because since I'm the oldest, they like to be like me. So when they want to wear makeup, I give them makeup. When they want to wear my clothes, I let them wear my clothes. Especially Laney. She has a lot of my clothes right now. And then they like to do tiktoks with me. And they still are. They're very energized. So I like to let them get their energy out with me. And they were always. When I. Before I went to college, they were always in my room. They all had, like, a little period where they would sleep with me and sleep in my bed. They like to have sleepovers in my room. They will always be in my bed. Even the times where I left college, they were still in my bed.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

This is a very, very tight family. And like Kristin said, you must be really, really proud of all of them.

[Beth (parent)]

Thank God for Maury.

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Because, I mean, you easily could have been the older sister that was like,

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get out of my room.

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

Leave me.

[Mari (older sibling)]

Well, sometimes I do that.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Okay. You're allowed your space, babe. You are allowed your space.

[Mari (older sibling)]

That's only when they're too energized for the wild child Inslee. Other than that, Manny, Laney, Inslee, they all come in my room. They all have time with me. We play.

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

I love that.

[Grandmother]

Yeah.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

I almost started crying this weekend on a bunch of different occasions. The first one was with Olivia, though, when we were walking out of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and you gave me that big grandma hug and you started crying. I'm like, don't you do. It's too early in the trip.

[Grandmother]

It was not too early. It was too early for you to start it. But it was so awesome. It reminded me of prom, of getting ready for a wedding. It's just a big event. It was so beautiful when, you know, to see how excited Inslee and Elena were. They were just so excited, and it was just like somebody being excited to get married or go to the prom. And it was so special. I love it. I'll remember it, and I thank you 100 times.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

What else did you see this weekend from a grandmother's standpoint?

[Grandmother]

Oh, I was really surprised at how they enjoyed the roller coasters. Especially not Mari and Torian, but the little ones. Elena, she had so much fun on roller coasters. I don't know where they get that from.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

She's like, you don't get it from me. Lainey, what was your favorite part of Disney?

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

The ride.

[Mari (older sibling)]

The ride.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Did you have a favorite ride?

[Amanda (family member or close observer)]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Which one?

[Mari (older sibling)]

So we did, like, Trons and the Slinky Dog ride.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Oh, the Slinky Dog ride.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Is that one sneaks up on you. Like, you think it's going to be like, this innocent little kid ride, Toy Story.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

You think it's going to be?

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[Host (likely named Burke)]

They should have some kind of warning out there. Like, this is way scarier than it looks like it's going to be.

[Beth (parent)]

It was fun. We rode that toy.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Anybody else want to add here to this family? I mean, we all had so much fun, and I feel like you got. It was hard to catch up with you guys at times, cuz you're rolling together as this big group.

[Beth (parent)]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

And you had some serious stamina in the park, too.

[Beth (parent)]

Like, oh, yeah.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

There was not this. There was no slowing this family down. So one of the things I picked up on is Lainey tells a mean fart joke.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Okay.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

And Molly's pretty notorious around Burt's Big Adventure for loving fart jokes. So Friday night, she had Molly absolutely in stitches. I'm not gonna say she was roasting her entire family, but she might have been roasting her entire family along the way. It was pretty epic.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

There has to be humor when you have a family this size going through what they're going through.

[Co-host or Family Member (possibly a parent)]

Also, you need that levity for all the hard times. Like, you have to find. You have to find the joy wherever you Can. You have to find the laughter wherever you can. And that this family does that.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Beth, you have a letter you want to read to your bird Speak adventure kid?

[Beth (parent)]

I do. I do. Okay, so it says parents are supposed to teach their kids, but Laney and Manny, you have taught me. You have taught me how to be patient, have the greatest faith, resilience, and that you can achieve any goal as long as you believe in yourself. Lainey, my smart girl, you've taught me it's okay not to be okay. And you don't have to be. And you don't have to hide it. I'm so happy your wish came true to go to Disney. As we approach your eight year anniversary surviving stage four cancer.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Unbelievable. Yeah, y'.

[Beth (parent)]

All.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

And I'm talking about

[Beth (parent)]

Manny, the sweetest guy ever. You've taught me not to take anything for granted, take joy in all the wins, and to enter every day like it's the best day ever. You're both my favorite superheroes.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

It's beautiful.

[Grandmother]

Thank you.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

So glad you guys are part of our family now. Hope to see you guys at all of our reunions where you can hang out more with each other and build on that. That enthusiasm that you guys seem to have for each other all the time.

[Beth (parent)]

Thank you.

[Host (likely named Burke)]

Coming up in a couple of minutes here, we got to get Brooke and her mom on. She made me cry this weekend also, man. I even told her at the fireworks, I'm like, don't you do it. So many, so many tears this year. Spurt's Big Adventure 2026. This is the Bird Show.

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