In this episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Sibling Loss, Dr. Angela Dean talks with surviving sibling Karin McLean, author of Bright Days Do Come. Karin is Brian's big sister. Brian, the baby of the family, died at 9-years-old in a 1991 car accident that nearly took Karin's life too. Karin had helped raise him since she was twelve, and she wrote her book more than thirty years later.

Together they talk about the secondary and non-death losses that follow a sudden accident, the long work of self-acceptance, and the practice of asking a sibling for signs.

In this episode you will:

Hear how a surviving sibling carries a loss across more than three decades.
Learn what secondary and non-death loss can look like after a single accident.
Gain insight into how self-acceptance becomes its own grief work.
Explore the practice of asking a sibling for specific signs.
Discover one family's ways of keeping a brother present.

Connect with Karin McLean:

Website
Book (all stores): Bright Days Do Come
Substack
Instagram
Facebook

Content warning: This episode discusses a fatal car accident, the death of a nine-year-old child, life-threatening injury, alcohol use to cope with grief, and a brief mention of miscarriage.

Resources:

Find a Helpline (locate a local crisis or warm line) (US & International): https://findahelpline.com
US Peer support: https://warmline.org
International: Peer support warmlines

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If you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact Dr. Angela Dean at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

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Thank you!
Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT, GTMR

🐺Tony's Little Sister

Credits:

The Broken Pack: Stories of Sibling Loss is produced by Not Done Here Media.

IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds featuring Joe Mylward
Courtesy of Not Done Here Records
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack

Full song: https://fujisounds.music