EPISODE SHOW NOTES

ATEC - Episode 56: Grief Won't Last Forever ft. Crystal Webster

Episode 56: Grief Won't Last Forever featuring Crystal Webster

Just 8 hours after giving birth, Crystal Webster had to say goodbye to her newborn daughter, Madelyn Elizabeth who she had unknowingly passed a genetic disorder on to. The next five years of Crystal’s life were consumed by a debilitating sense of loss. Doctors told her that the only way that she would get pregnant again was through IVF treatments, but after three failed rounds, she realized she needed to find a way to start living again even if she would never realize her dream of a biological child.

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When she was finally ready to move on with her life, putting all of the baby toys and blankets in a closet, out of sight, felt wrong to her: they were not meant to be hidden away like that. It was then that Crystal had the idea to create a community and launched Sharing Solace whose mission is to help grievers feel less alone through their healing process. The gifts from Sharing Solace are meant to be sent from one person to another when it no longer serves them. Each necklace and keychain comes with an inner token to be worn as long as one needs, and then passed on to someone else who needs support.

Madelyn is still an only child, and although Crystal and her husband may never start a family, Crystal now lives her life in a way that brings her joy and has written a book to help others recover from their traumas and losses.

Crystal Webster is founder and Chief Solace Officer of Sharing Solace – and most importantly, she is Maddie’s mama. Sharing Solace is a community of grievers for grievers; melding tangible gifts and meaningful community to help those grieving ‘Remember. You’re not alone.’ Her story of infant loss and infertility is not unique; at the same time she found herself lonely and debilitated from the grief. She felt compelled to write her debut book in the hope that her adventures in loss, grief, and mourning would encourage others to share their stories, no matter what their grief. Her quirky, irreverent style pulls readers in and creates a safe space to just feel their freaking feels.

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ABOUT YOUR HOST

I’m a writer, a teacher, a native New Yorker, and I love hearing about people’s lives. When I think back to my elementary school days at PS 20 in Flushing, Queens whenever we began social studies or a history lesson I wasn’t that interested in learning about battles, topography, or politics. What I wanted to know was how people lived: What their families were like, how they adapted to their circumstances, what they ate, how they celebrated, how they felt.
 
Sociology became my major at Binghamton University and in my life so far I’ve been an actress, a salesperson, a Zoo Keeper’s Aid, a volunteer animal trainer, an ELL teacher, a mother, and a wife. I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had, all of which led me to create this podcast which is one of the most rewarding projects I’ve undertaken. I couldn’t ask for a better job than having in-depth conversations with survivors, thought leaders, authors, social justice warriors, and people who believe that we are all connected and then getting to share their stories, insight, and vulnerability with listeners.
 
I’m so glad you’ve landed on this page. I hope you find stories here which resonate with you and that you’ll tune in every week. 
 
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ATEC (Episode 10) (ATEC Pin 3)