We're All Insane Podcast: "My Wife Died During Childbirth"
Date: September 30, 2025
Host: Ever
Guest: Weston Brandon
Brief Overview
In this raw, deeply personal episode, guest Weston Brandon recounts the harrowing story of losing his wife, Lauren, two weeks after the premature birth of their son. At just 23, Weston was thrust into the roles of widower and single father, navigating immense grief, financial uncertainty, and the challenge of rebuilding his life—all with a newborn son in the NICU. Through honest storytelling, Weston shares not only the traumatic experiences but also his journey of healing, vulnerability, faith, and the drive to help others by telling his story.
Key Discussion Points & Timestamps
1. Meeting Lauren & Their Whirlwind Romance
[01:44–15:38]
- Divine Promptings: Weston, a recently returned LDS missionary, feels compelled by a spiritual “nudge” to join a church volleyball game—where he meets Lauren, his future wife.
- Their First Encounter: Notably, Lauren is bold and outgoing, flirting with Weston in a way he had never experienced before:
“She comes up, starts kicking my foot ... I'd never had anybody do that to me before, even in high school.” — Weston [05:45]
- Immediate Honesty: After their first date, both share all their “ugly secrets” from the past, creating transparency and a deep connection:
"We had the… where we both did that, like all of the… that's in our soul, like, here's all of the ugly stuff, you know, and just dump it all out. ... neither of us was running away." — Weston [09:30]
- Fast-Track Marriage: They become engaged three weeks after meeting and married six weeks after, eloping to Las Vegas on April Fool’s Day.
2. Building a Life Together & Moving to Texas
[20:41–25:31]
- Early Career Moves: Weston describes transitioning from door-to-door sales to a more stable engineering software job, which brought them to Texas.
- Family Planning & Pregnancy: After settling into their new life, the couple decides to start a family.
3. Pregnancy Complications and Traumatic Birth
[25:32–31:55]
- Incompetent Cervix Diagnosis: Lauren experiences an unexpected dilation at 25 weeks—without labor—resulting in hospital bed rest.
- Miracle in the NICU: Emergency C-section delivers their son at 26 weeks (1 lb 13 oz). Against odds, his lungs function thanks to administered steroids:
"It was the miracle, the first miracle of many… the steroids got his lungs developed quicker." — Weston [30:34]
4. Lauren’s Sudden Passing and the Aftermath
[35:58–44:52]
- Unexpected Crisis: Lauren suffers a fatal pulmonary embolism at home, two weeks post-delivery, passing away in Weston’s arms.
- Spiritual Reckoning: Alone in the ICU waiting room, Weston turns to scripture for comfort, receiving a deeply personal answer:
"If I have ever needed you to talk to me at any point in my life, like, this is the moment ... And the way that that very first verse starts is... ‘for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead.’" — Weston [38:10]
- Tension with God: Weston shares authentically about his anger with God and the process of expressing that in prayer rather than suppressing it.
- The Weight of Single Fatherhood: Overcome by grief, Weston describes feelings of “resentment” and disconnection with his newborn, later realizing and working to overcome it intentionally with bonding activities:
"There was a little bit of resentment towards my son... In my mind, I kind of seen that he had replaced my wife…" — Weston [47:09]
5. Adjusting to Life as a Widower
[45:26–52:37]
- Return to Utah: Weston moves back in with his parents for support.
- NICU Stays and Routine: He lives at the hospital with his son until discharge.
- Financial/Emotional Strain: He recounts the overwhelming hospital bills, legalities, and lost independence.
6. Navigating Dating & Finding Love Again
[52:38–60:55]
- Starting Over: Encouraged by spiritual promptings, Weston joins Mutual, a dating app, openly including his story in his profile.
- Meeting Kearsley: He matches with his now-wife, Kearsley, a woman with her own history of hardship, divorce, and missionary service.
- Blended Family: Their fast bond leads to a candid, vulnerable “second date” where both lay out their pasts and intentions.
- Compressed Courtship: The practical realities of widowhood and single parenthood shape their approach and priorities.
7. Healing, Remarriage & Helping Others
[60:56–71:32]
- Navigating Grief in the Family: Weston discusses unique challenges like “grief attachment” from relatives of the deceased and the blessing of supportive in-laws.
- Career Change: Trauma shifts Weston's values from ambition to security, prompting a successful switch to the HVAC and refrigeration trade.
- Spiritual Prompting to Speak Out: Another major spiritual nudge leads him to public speaking and eventually writing his book.
8. The Power of Vulnerability, Stillness, and Community
[71:33–84:18]
- Impact of Sharing: Weston describes speaking at a youth camp, witnessing the power of vulnerability and guided stillness to open up teenage boys emotionally:
“15, 20, 25 feet apart from each other... teenage boys, you know, going up there and... started praying. Some of them are crying…” — Weston [83:08]
- Breaking Cultural Silence for Men: He emphasizes the importance of men being vulnerable and seeking brotherhood, both in grief and growth:
“Men don't talk about [this] enough... but when we finally get into an environment where there's some brotherhood... amazing things happen.” — Weston [134:33]
- Spiritual vs. Scientific Framing: Both Weston and Ever discuss the universality of transformative experiences—whether understood religiously, scientifically, or both.
9. Weston’s DRIVE Framework and Book
[97:45–116:39]
- Key Elements:
- Discover (who you really are; self-reflection)
- Resolve (address inner wounds and obstacles)
- Invest (put resources into self-improvement and healing)
- Visualize (mentally picture your success; harmonize heart and mind)
- Elevate (lift others as you rise; "bring other people along for the ride")
- Mind/Heart Alignment:
“The electromagnetic field that your heart produces... is thousands of times stronger than the one your mind does. ... The most stable and strong field is authenticity; gratitude was close behind.” — Weston [108:00]
- Practical Tools: Incorporating therapy, visualization, coaching, spiritual practices, and forming community for men in crisis.
- The Book: “The Overhaul: Fixing Your Mindset and Driving Success”—aimed at men tackling ‘now what’ moments.
10. The Mission Going Forward
[126:16–end]
- Building Support Structures: Collaborating with his mother and others to create the “Brandon Institute”—offering coaching, resources, retreats, practical support (e.g., paperwork, cleaning), and community.
- Encouragement to Others:
“No one’s an expert until they do it. ... Do what feels right … be open to shifting things around until you find what works for you.” — Ever [124:44]
- Shoutouts: Special praise for “Warrior Heart,” a men's retreat organization, and details on Weston's social links and resources (to be included in episode description).
Notable Quotes
- "If you're super angry at God, let him know. ... Just let him have it all. Even if you have nothing nice to say." — Weston [42:01]
- "I just held her in my arms as she passed away... and to put it lightly, that sucked." — Weston [36:44]
- "You can't connect with other people if you don't connect with yourself." — Weston [97:46]
- "Men don't talk about [grief, hardship] enough. ... When we finally get into an environment where there's some brotherhood ... amazing things happen." — Weston [134:33]
- "Sometimes your voice is going to be that [message from God/hope] for people because maybe they don't have that moment within themselves." — Ever [91:20]
- “Visualize... and intentionally feel gratitude for having made it. Authenticity… and gratitude was close behind it. ... You can measure this electromagnetic field in this frequency... when you're feeling conflict or you're feeling doubt and fear, that's when those frequencies... get distorted.” — Weston [108:17]
Memorable Moments
- Volleyball Meet-Cute: Weston almost leaves the church gym but is prompted to “go play volleyball,” leading directly to meeting Lauren. [03:00–06:00]
- Immediate Vulnerability: Trading past mistakes and secrets on a porch after their very first date. [09:00–11:00]
- Loss and Silence: Alone in a hospital waiting room, Weston receives precisely the spiritual reassurance needed in his darkest hour. [37:36–38:30]
- Resentment & Healing: Honest discussion of emotional distance from his son, and the turnaround through intentional effort. [47:09–48:58]
- Youth Connection: Weston’s story moving a group of teen boys from apathy to vulnerable prayer and newfound purpose. [83:08–84:18]
- Men’s Emotional Transformation: Encounters at men's retreats, challenging rich stereotypes about male stoicism. [134:33–135:19]
Resources & Links
- Weston’s Book: [The Overhaul: Fixing Your Mindset and Driving Success](link to be provided)
- Institute/Coaching: [brandoninstitute.com](placeholder; check description)
- TikTok/Instagram: [@westonbrandon](placeholder; check description)
- Warrior Heart Retreats: warriorheart.com
- Contact / Share Your Story: wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com
If you or someone you know is navigating loss, sudden life change, or deep grief, this episode offers hope, validation, and honest tools for beginning to move forward—even if it starts with simply sitting in silence.
(Note: Skip forward to [01:44] for content—ads and sponsorships bookend the primary story)