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DEAD Talks

DEAD Talks

9/11 Took My Dad When I Was 12: Grief 25 Years Later with David Kessler (#278)

Sep 7, 2026 · 54m

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About this episode

Twenty-five years after losing his father in the September 11 attacks, DEAD Talks host David Ferrugio sits on the other side of the microphone for one of his most personal conversations yet. World-renowned grief expert David Kessler interviews David about losing his father at just 12 years old, growing up as “the 9/11 kid,” the guilt that followed, and what it means to grieve a death the entire world continues to watch and remember. They explore the memories David has lost—and the ones he has spent years trying to recover—the pressure he felt to become “the man of the house,” how grief changes over decades, and why sadness and joy don't have to be mutually exclusive. David also opens up…