Today, April McCormick embraces courage and love as she navigates being a leader and a mother.

Five years ago, April and Kevin McCormick had the worst day of their lives, every parent’s worst nightmare. Their 1-year-old son, Lincoln, died suddenly.

A little over a year ago, April started a podcast, “Uncomfortable Friend,” to tell her story, to share her experiences, and to be with Lincoln.

“Uncomfortable Friend” is the best use of this medium. It allows us to peer into a world most of us never want to look into, but when we do, we see the beauty, the resiliency, and the strength of humanity. It takes courage to push play, yes, and you will be a better human for it.

April’s courage, vulnerability, grace, and joy are on full display in her podcast, and, as you’ll see, in today’s conversation too. And that’s because April is what whole-hearted living looks like.

And yes, it takes courage to listen to these conversations, but like everything else that takes courage, it is so worth it.

My favorite quote from the episode: “When you feel someone’s intent is in the right place, you can give them grace if your wording is not quite right.”

What I know to be true about the episode: In the blooper reel at the end of the episode, I include a clip where April asks, “do we need to define ‘courage’.” I respond by saying we’ve already defined it well, but I was thinking, “You, my friend, are ‘courage’.” The word feels deficient after spending time with someone like April.

When she could be anything and no one would blame her after what she’s gone through, and yet she chooses grace, love, joy, and vulnerability…that embodying courage.

What I learned from the episode: The Winnie the Pooh quote that April shared with me and is at the end of the episode is so perfect, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

It makes me think about the Dr. Seuss line, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Who am I to question the genius of Dr. Seuss, however, I believe it’s important to know we can cry and smile. We can be grateful and heart broken.

We can hold joy and grief, because those are the gifts that love gives us.

April is courage. I am in awe and inspired. And yes, Lincoln is so proud of his mama. There are so many reasons why he should be. And I love how April knows this.

It is such an honor and privilege to witness courage and vulnerability like this.

In this episode, April answers the following questions:
- What is courage and vulnerability?
- How to grieve and continue on after the loss of a loved one?
- How does losing a child change you?
- How to support a bereaved parent?

Links to the resources included in this episode can be found on the episode page of the What Do You Know To Be True? podcast 
• April’s podcast “Uncomfortable Friend”
• Helping Parents Heal
• Seattle Childrens Hospital Journey Program
• “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown
• “Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief” by David Kessler

Music in this episode created by Ian Kastner.

"What Do You Know To Be True?" is a series of conversations where I speak with interesting people about their special talent or superhero power and the meaningful impact it has on others. The intention is to learn more about their experience with their superhero power, so that we can learn something about the special talent in each of us which allows us to connect more deeply with our purpose.

"What Do You Know To Be True?" is hosted by Roger Kastner, is a production of Three Blue Pens, and is recorded on the ancestral lands of the Duwamish and Suquamish people. To discover the ancestral lands