The Nikki & Brie Show – "The Summer That Changed Me"

Podcast Host: SiriusXM
Episode Date: August 25, 2025

Overview

In this heartfelt episode, Nikki and Brie Garcia reflect on their transformative summer of 2025—one defined by both profound personal loss and memorable moments of growth and love. With warmth, vulnerability, and their signature humor, the sisters open up about the passing of their beloved Nana, how grief has impacted them, and the lessons and legacies their grandmother leaves behind. Touching on memories from their wrestling careers, motherhood, family bonds, signs from beyond, and the simple beauty of a life well-lived, Nikki and Brie invite listeners into an intimate, moving conversation about love, healing, and the importance of family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Saying Goodbye to Summer and Embracing Change

• [01:11] Bri officially declares this episode the close of their “summer fun,” marking the transition back to school routines and reflecting on personal changes as the season ends.
  • Bri: "School is started, we're all back in routine, and that's it." (01:38)
• [01:58] Nicole suggests they reflect on “the summer that changed me,” both as a personal theme and a social trend, pledging to discuss standout moments of fun, transformation, chaos, and healing.

Nana’s Passing: Profound Loss and Gratitude

• [03:03] Bri shares that the summer of 2025 will always be marked by her last moments with Nana, who passed away a week prior.
  • Bri: "I'll kind of remember the summer of my last time. Seeing her, holding her hand, having deep conversations." (03:10)
• Nicole echoes Bri’s feelings, noting that while she experienced career milestones—like her match at Evolution—nothing imprinted on her like Nana's passing.
  • Nicole: "We spoke about this. We're like, there's just not enough words. There's not enough photos. There's, there's just not enough of what truly describes... what she did for us by being that, being our Nana." (05:22)
• Both sisters recount how Nana's influence shaped their lives, her unconditional love helping turn them into the strong women they are.
  • Nicole: "She was way more like a mom than a Nana." (06:06)

Navigating Grief and Public Mourning

• [06:29] Bri addresses the pressure to post publicly about their loss, emphasizing her need to grieve privately, despite fans’ expectations.
  • Bri: "Every time I've sat down to be like, should I, should I not? I just, I can't go like further than that... nothing in my body makes me feel like I need to do it or do I want to do it." (06:44)

Signs from Beyond: Dragonflies, Hawks, and Nature

• [08:28] Bri recounts a powerful moment when a large dragonfly visited her at home, which she interprets as a sign from Nana.
  • Bri: "I did get goosebumps head to toe because I'm like, Nana, is that you? ...are you taking a tour? Like, are you trying to say hi?" (08:51)
• Nicole shares her own mystical experiences—seeing a hawk and two dragonflies—which she and Bri see as signs from Nana and Pop Up.
  • Nicole: "A hawk landed where I have my olive tree... you could tell it's a female hawk. And it's just staring at me." (12:04)
  • Nicole: "Two big, beautiful blue dragonflies, and they look like they're just putting a dance on for me... that's my Nana and Pop up dancing right there to their song." (13:35)

Reflecting on Nana’s Life and Legacy

• Both hosts reminisce about Nana’s 93 years, her close relationships with her grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, and her ever-present motherly wisdom.
  • Bri: "She lived a very beautiful life. Just a very beautiful life. And you think that would make it easy when someone leaves you." (13:43)
• Nicole emphasizes the mother-daughter bond with Nana, as their own mother was very young when they were born, making Nana a primary maternal figure.

Faith, Healing, and Finding Comfort

• [20:05] Bri speaks about attending church after Nana’s passing and finds comfort in a priest’s reminder that “your journey isn’t to see ... how far you get in the US, your journey's to get to heaven."
  • Bri: "You don't have a U.S. citizenship. You have a heaven citizenship." (20:42)
• Nicole discusses the importance of faith, which Nana and Pop Up instilled in them, helping her frame Nana’s passing with hope and peace.
  • Nicole: "In the moments that can feel so heavy ... She's back home. She's with Jesus. She's with all her loved ones, and she feels no pain." (21:41)

Remembering Nana’s Lively Spirit and Unconventional Love

• [22:59] Bri recalls Nana’s playful side, telling stories of their grandmother driving them toilet papering as teens—doing things for her grandkids she would never have allowed her own children to do.
  • Bri: "She also was like a baddie. When we were young, my grandmother would take us to go toilet papering." (22:59)
• Nicole highlights Nana’s unique ability to "let you see the rainbow and the light while you were still in the storm" with her wisdom and comfort, especially during difficult times.
  • Nicole: "Nana was able to let you see the rainbow and the light while you were still in the storm. Like, yeah, for sure. She brought that with her words and her wisdom." (24:40)

Wisdom, Simplicity, and a Life Well-lived

• [27:49] Bri distills Nana’s approach to life: "Very clear intentions in life. And the biggest one was family and love and kindness."
  • Bri: "We all can learn from that. Like sometimes we're maybe searching too hard... it's simple: love, show kindness and the rest will all just come." (28:38)
• Nicole and Bri express gratitude for the lessons, love, and memories that will continue to influence generations.

Coping, Gratitude, and Spiritual Affirmation

• [31:44] Bri shares a Bible verse for affirmation:
  • "Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal." — Isaiah 35:10 (31:44)
  • Bri: "Right now, you and I might be really, really sad, but there's nothing that Nana now can't heal. Being up in heaven." (32:21)
• Nicole notes the natural signs that follow the loss of a loved one: "Isn't it crazy how nature becomes even more beautiful? The sunsets... all the meanings of it, right?" (32:52)

Notable Quotes

• “There's just not enough words. There's not enough photos. There's, there's just not enough of what truly describes what Nana, who Nana was and, and what she did for us by being that, being our Nana.” – Nicole (05:22)
• “I just wish I could get a postcard from Nana from heaven. Like, she's like, okay, girls, I've arrived. And, like, I'm okay. Like, fun party.” – Bri (11:43)
• “Nana was able to let you see the rainbow and the light while you were still in the storm.” – Nicole (24:40)
• “You don't have a U.S. citizenship. You have a heaven citizenship. Your journey isn’t to see... how far you get in the US. Your journey’s to get to heaven.” – Bri (20:42)
• “We all can learn from that... it's simple: love, show kindness and the rest will all just come.” – Bri (28:38)
• “She has been like, Jesus is my savior. But Nana was my savior here on Earth.” – Nicole (31:21)
• “Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal.” – Bible, Isaiah 35:10, Read by Bri (31:44)

Important Timestamps

• 01:11 – Official episode welcome; end of summer fun
• 03:03 – Reflecting on Nana’s passing as the defining event of summer
• 08:28 – Dragonfly and hawk encounters as signs from Nana and Pop Up
• 13:43 – Nana's 93 years and intergenerational closeness
• 20:05 – Faith, church, and the comfort of spiritual perspective after loss
• 22:59 – Humorous Nana stories: toilet papering and grandkid adventures
• 27:49 – Nana’s life philosophy: family, love, and kindness
• 31:44 – Bible verse affirmation about healing: Isaiah 35:10

Memorable Moments

• Bri chasing a dragonfly around her house and interpreting it as Nana visiting (08:28)
• Nicole spotting a hawk—impossible at that location—immediately after texting Bri about signs from Nana (12:04)
• Both sisters laughing over Nana’s unconventional “grandparenting,” like taking them toilet papering as kids (22:59)
• Sharing the ways Nana and Pop Up’s legacy and faith continue to guide their lives (21:32, 28:38)
• The moment Bri reads and reflects on the verse, "Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal," (31:44) bringing spiritual closure and comfort

Episode Tone and Takeaway

This episode is intimate, poignant, and uplifting, mixing laughter with tears, and consistently returning to gratitude for family and the simple joys of life. Nikki and Brie invite listeners not only into their personal grief but also into a shared celebration of a matriarch whose wisdom, love, and “clear intentions” can serve as inspiration for all. The message resonates that healing after loss comes not just from time, but from cherishing spiritual, familial, and simple connections—seeing the signs, remembering the stories, and building on the foundation of kindness and love.

For listeners new and old, this episode offers solace, inspiration, and a loving reminder to savor the little moments, keep faith close, and hold family tighter as the seasons change.