Last Words Podcast
Last Words Podcast
Podcast Description
Last Words Podcast is a podium for the dying — to share stories, reflections, and legacies, helping us better understand what it means to truly live.
Episodes alternate between two-part series:
Last Words – Real stories from people facing the end of life, whether due to terminal illness or diagnoses with uncertain timelines.
Death Perception – Conversations with first responders, caregivers, medical professionals, clergy, and others attuned to death through life experience.
New episodes every Tuesday at 5 AM CST.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of mortality, caregiving, and the legacies people leave behind, with episodes exploring personal stories like Amber Olsen's journey with her daughter Willow and the impact of terminal illness on family dynamics, as well as insights from healthcare professionals regarding their experiences with death.
Last Words is a podium for the dying created to share stories, reflections, and living legacies.
Host Nic Main, a former cancer patient, created the podcast in the face of his mother’s death with one goal: to learn what it means to live.
Episodes follow a two-part format:
Last Words – Real stories from people facing death through terminal illness or uncertain diagnoses.
Last Words: Death Perception – Conversations with those who walk and work alongside the dying, who provide their unique perspectives on how death shapes how they live life.
New episodes every Tuesday at 5 AM CST.
Season 1 of Last Words comes to a close with a personal reflection from host Nic Main.
For the first time, Nic shares the story behind the podcast: recording his mother’s last words before her passing, traveling thousands of miles to meet guests with nothing but an idea, learning to walk alongside the dying through doula and hospice work, and holding space for strangers in their final moments.
This episode is a look at the long road that led here the lessons death taught along the way, the legacies carried, and the moments that reshaped what it means to live.
To the lives who inspired this work:
- Shelly Main
- Sara Main
- Ollie Main
- Alexis Rusin
- Bradley Rusin
- Willow Olsen
- Virginia Viviano
- Shirley Mueth
- Beau Offutt
- Janet Archibald
- Vange Thompson
This podcast would not be possible without:
You – The Listener.
Production:
Ben Dahlquist – Audio Technician/Editor.
Tom Grady – Website Developer.
Matt Wagner – Graphic Design.
Nick Grady – Guest Coordinator Assistant.
Last Words Season 2 returns in June of 2026.
If this podcast has impacted you, please consider donating at www.lastwordspodcast.org and click donate.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.