Some people move through the world quietly, leaving behind goodness that doesn’t demand attention—but changes everything.
Cody was one of those people.
In this tender conversation, Melinda—Cody’s mom—shares the story of her youngest son, a surprise baby who quickly became the heart of their family. Cody had a gentle presence from the very beginning. Even as a small child, he seemed to carry a deep awareness of the world around him—comforting strangers, speaking words far beyond his years, and offering love in ways that couldn’t quite be explained.
At 21 years old, Cody died in a tragic accident just days after his birthday and days before Christmas. What followed was unimaginable grief—layered with shock, trauma, and questions that had no easy answers. And yet, woven through the hardest moments of Melinda’s story are glimpses of something else: peace that arrives unexpectedly, calm that settles when it is most needed, and signs of connection that refuse to be dismissed.
Melinda speaks honestly about the early years of grief—the darkness, the screaming lament, the way loss reshapes everything. She also shares how her grief slowly began to change form: through journaling letters to Cody, through quiet acts of kindness done anonymously, and through choosing to live in a way that reflects who Cody was. Not loudly. Not publicly. But faithfully.
Cody’s legacy isn’t marked by grand gestures or foundations bearing his name. It lives in paid-for birthday cakes, handwritten notes, secret generosity, and a mother who asks herself each day, What would Cody do?
Seven years later, Melinda reflects on what it means to keep going—to hold both joy and sorrow at the same time, to welcome moments of peace without guilt, and to understand that grief doesn’t have a timeline. This episode is a reminder that while we do not “get over” the loss of our children, we can learn to live inside the love they left behind.
This conversation is for anyone walking the long road of grief—and for those learning how to walk beside them.
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