Join us as we speak with Rob Reider, Co-Founder and Exec. Director of the Sad Dads Club.  

Rob and his wife Tehliah lost their daughter Lila to stillbirth in December of 2017.  Through his grief, Rob co-founded SAD DADS CLUB alongside Jay (Bella’s dad) and Chris (Izzy’s dad) to create a space where fathers can connect and support one another through pregnancy and infant loss.

This growing community fosters a safe space for men to be vulnerable, expressive, and supportive of one another. SAD DADS CLUB is on a mission to redefine masculinity, showing that true strength lies in emotional openness and healthy expression. By nurturing a strong support system and providing access to mental health resources, SAD DADS CLUB helps bereaved fathers navigate life after loss.

Thank you Rob for sharing your story and we know you and your dads will help so many others!

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Sad Dads Club Website [https://saddadsclub.org/]

Sad Dads Club Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sad.dads.club/?hl=en]

Rob Reider - SAD DADS CLUB

In our first episode in 2025, we spoke to Kim, a Philadelphia-area mom who is navigating her life after the loss of her 3rd son, David.

Kim and her husband found out early in their pregnancy, that there was a high likelihood that their baby had Trisomy 13, and it was later confirmed after an amniocentesis. She had a wonderful doctor who was supportive when finding out they would be carrying David to term, for which she was so thankful.

Join us as we hear about David's sweet life in the NICU and how his parents walked that journey together.

In memory of David Capista, 10/6/17 to 10/12/17



Kim Capista 

In this  episode of The Blindsided, we sit down with Bridget, a Philadelphia mom who is navigating the unthinkable. We first met Bridget at the Lucas James fundraiser event, and her story touched us profoundly.

Bridget and her husband recently faced the heartbreaking loss of their beloved son, Keegan. Born on February 28th of this year, Keegan was born a healthy baby. However, just a week after his discharge from the hospital, symptoms arose that led Bridget to seek urgent medical care. Despite their best efforts, Keegan was diagnosed with late onset GBS, a devastating infection that progressed rapidly, leading to meningitis and, ultimately, his untimely passing.

In this episode, Bridget shares her raw and emotional journey through grief, offering a perspective that is both fresh and poignant. As she processes her loss, Bridget is channeling her pain into purpose by pursuing a nursing degree, with a special focus on supporting bereaved parents. Her goal is to guide others through their own grief and to walk alongside them in their healing journey.

Bridget’s story is a testament to resilience and hope. As she continues to honor Keegan’s memory through her future work and hopes to expand her family, her strength and dedication shine brightly. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation that explores grief, healing, and the enduring love a parent has for their child.

Thank you Bridget for sharing your story with us, we are honored!

Keegan's Story

Liz is a mom of two to Aria (would be 4) and Oliver (3). She is married to her high school sweetheart, Rob. After losing Aria to stillbirth, Liz has been trying to find a way to help other loss families and is currently in school for diagnostic medical sonography. She hopes that through this career, she will be able to further ensure thorough ultrasounds for all pregnant people and help provide support to families during and after a loss.

To see more of Aria's photos, please visit the site HERE [http://theblindsided.com/2024/07/03/liz-cressman-arias-story/]


Through the Eyes of a Lion book [https://www.amazon.com/Through-Eyes-Lion-Bible-Study/dp/1087728223/ref=asc_df_1087728223/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17099153054984128833&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003897&hvtargid=pla-2281435178298&psc=1&mcid=a9d78124d8b6359ea2172b67650f74fc&hvocijid=17099153054984128833-1087728223-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1]

To be interviewed on the show, please email storyteller@theblindsided.com



Liz Cressman - Aria's Story

Join us as we talk with Brad Entrekin, wife to Jenna and dad to Owen, Emily and Connor.  On November 11, 2016, their family's world was forever changed when they learned that just days before his scheduled birthday, Connor's heart had stopped.  Brad speaks openly about his thoughts, feelings and emotions at that time and gives advice to other fathers who have suffered a similar loss.
Thank you so much Brad, for candidly sharing your story with our audience.

Happy {gentle} Father's Day to ALL of the dads out there.  

The Blindsided Website [http://www.theblindsided.com/]

Emily and Jenna - Sibling's Day Episode [https://open.spotify.com/episode/7FyNkG1A8ZfjVNZd3Si6fl?si=HLS8cnYIRCGE2G-5YT-9uQ]

Father's Day Episode with Brad Entrekin

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Terrell Hatzilias as she shares the story of the life and legacy of her son Kegan. 

Dr. Hatzilias is a neuroscientist and medical writer. She is the proud mother of two children, her living daughter and stillborn son. Since the death of her son, Terrell has made stillbirth prevention and advocacy her passion. She has successfully lobbied SMFM to update pregnancy management guidelines for isolated single umbilical artery pregnancies, led a team of bereaved mother in passing legislation in Washington state allowing issuance of a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth, and recently published her first book, titled Still His Mama, about stillbirth and grief.

Thank you Terrell, for sharing your story with us, it was an honor.

To purchase Still His Mama: click here [https://a.co/d/fRgPCVh].

You can connect with Dr. Hatzilias on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/still_his_mama?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]. 

For more information on single umbilical artery: https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/birth/umbilical-cord-conditions

Thank you for listening.

Kegan's Story

On April 28th, we attended the fundraising event at Spartan Gym [https://spartangymsc.com/] to honor Lucas James Swartz. We were lucky enough to speak with his mom Amber, twice on our podcast! During the event, we we are able to conduct mini-interviews and heard some beautiful stories of love and loss from other loss parents.

The event raised over $13,000, which was then donated to the following local non-profits: Aubrey's Advocate [https://aubreysadvocate.com/], Noelle's Light [https://www.noelleslight.org/] and The Adalyn Rose Foundation [https://adalynrose.org/].

Thank you to everyone who came out to support this event and the amazing organizations the funds will support! We loved hearing your stories and connecting with you all!!!!

Links mentioned:

 * Unite Grief Support Groups [http://www.unitegriefsupport.org/] - Couples/Mom Support
 * Unite Dad's Only Group [http://unitegriefsupport.org/fathers-only-virtual-support-group?fbclid=IwAR3JnbbkWVGxu9e0Yr-ozaRqo8shKZ2GrLTnH1AakOqMbiR2saQ3Vdv1ZAQ] - Contact Matt Sklar - matt.sklar@gmail.com
 * Mindful Birthing and Planning [http://mindfulbirthphiladelphia.com/]
 * Light After Loss Support Group [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_CxnqORErZ5w7r46l34qIDuqBtk4_txtb7p3kdCkbCgUUVQ/viewform]
 * Sad Dad's Club [https://saddadsclub.com/]
 * Postpartum Stress Center - Counseling [https://www.postpartumstress.com/]

Lucas James Fundraiser Event

As the overseer of the Perinatal Bereavement Program, Ann ensures that families grappling with the loss of a pregnancy or an infant have access to a comprehensive array of services aimed at providing solace and assistance.

Furthermore, Coyle plays a pivotal role in organizing Run with the Docs, an annual 5K event held outside Virtua Voorhees Hospital, which serves as a fundraiser for the Perinatal Bereavement Program. This event also fosters the participation of numerous families whom Ann has supported over the years. The upcoming Run With the Docs 2024 is scheduled for Sunday, June 9th at Virtua Voorhees. [https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Voorhees/RunwiththeDocs5k1Miler]

Ann is also the facilitator of the HOPING [https://hopingnj.org/] (Helping Other Parents In Normal Grief) Bereavement Support Group.

Ann, thank you for sharing your knowledge with our listeners, and for all that you do for your families!!!

For more podcasts and stories, please visit the Blindsided website: www.theblindsided.com [http://www.theblindsided.com/]







Ann Coyle - Perinatal Bereavement Manager at Virtua Health

In this deeply moving episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Lou and Hope as they share their unique and heart-wrenching stories of love, loss, and friendship.

Lou, originally from France, met her soulmate while working in the United States. Living nearby in South Jersey, Lou and her husband Patrick embarked on the journey of parenthood during the challenging times of the pandemic in 2020. However, their joy turned to sorrow when Lou experienced a difficult pregnancy, leading to the heartbreaking news that their daughter, Lilly-Anna, would be stillborn on February 17th, 2021.

On the other hand, Hope, a native of South Jersey, had a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy and birth with her son, Noah, born on March 24th, 2017. Tragically, Noah's life took a devastating turn when he contracted bacterial meningitis shortly after birth, ultimately losing his battle with the infection.

The bond between Lou and Hope is one of resilience and compassion, forged through shared experiences of unimaginable loss. Their friendship blossomed in a unique manner that is sure to touch your heart as you listen to their stories.

We are grateful to Lou and Hope for their courage in opening up and sharing their journeys with us. Their strength and grace serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to all who may be facing similar challenges.

Thank you, Hope and Lou, for entrusting us with your stories.

You can find out more about the Blindsided Podcast on our WEBSITE [https://theblindsided.com/]

If you would like to share your story with us on the podcast, please send us an email at storyteller@theblindsided.com



Hope and Lou - Honoring Lilly-Anna and Noah

If you didn't know, Siblings Day is April 10th every year!  We wanted to bring you, and your kids, something special so we interviewed the sibling (Emily) of a baby who was born still (Connor).  

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Emily is 12 years old, and a sister to her two brothers Owen and Connor. Connor was born silently in 2016 when Emily was just 4 years old. Since that time, Emily has continued to speak of him and made sure he’s included in family conversations.  She told us she enjoys sports such as volleyball, soccer and track.

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Emily is (in my opinion) so very well spoken and a pleasure to interview. Not sure about where her future will lead her, but I feel like she will impact many as she shares about her family's experience.

Her mom, Jenna, also shared about the day she lost Connor, and the headspace her family was in.

Thank you Emily (and Jenna) for sharing Connor with our podcast, and the world!  You're an awesome big sister Emily!

Nation Siblings Day - Emily / Connor

Welcome to the Blindsided podcast, a source of support for those going through pregnancy, infant, or child loss. This unexpected and devastating experience can leave us wholly blindsided, not only by the event itself but also by the fact that it could happen to us or those close to us. Our mission is to provide a safe space for those who have been blindsided, to share their heartfelt stories about the babies they cherished.

Throughout these episodes, we will feature stories of dearly missed children, narrated by their mothers, birthing or non-birthing partners, fathers, siblings, or grandparents. By sharing these experiences, we aim to offer solace and guidance to those who are newly blindsided, showing that it’s possible to endure and find hope, knowing that others have been through similar journeys and comprehend their pain.

Our goal is to resonate with individuals who seek understanding and hope during these challenging times of grief.

Nicole Bruno

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