When your child is struggling with addiction, the fear can be overwhelming, and the loneliness can feel just as heavy.
Today’s Grieving Out Loud guest knows that reality all too well. Brenda Zane’s son was just 15 years old when addiction entered their lives and changed everything. Their journey pushed them to the brink, with two fentanyl overdoses in just three days. After the second overdose, he nearly died, spending three days in a coma on life support, suffering both a heart attack and a stroke.
Somehow, they found a way through.
Out of that experience, Brenda created the Hopestream community, a podcast and online space designed for parents navigating a child’s addiction. She built it because she knew how desperately families need support from people who truly understand.
What began as a passion project in 2020 has grown into a resource reaching families across the country. In this episode, Brenda shares her family’s difficult, years-long journey, what she’s learned about helping a loved one through addiction, and how both she and her son are now helping others find hope.
Learn more about the Hopestream Community here.
Learn more about the CRAFT Method here.
Related episodes:
A Brain Scientist’s Warning Every Parent Should Hear
Grief, marijuana, and addiction: A conversation about cannabis use disorder
A mother’s urgent message on mental health and addiction
Mother blames cannabis-induced psychosis for son’s death
MEET THE GUEST
Brenda Zane
Brenda Zane is a TEDx speaker, CRAFT-trained parent coach, podcast host, and nonprofit co-founder who left a career in marketing after her son battled substance use disorder and survived two fentanyl overdoses. She hosts the Hopestream podcast, one of the top one percent most listened-to shows globally, and founded The Stream, a private online community for moms and female caregivers navigating a loved one’s struggle with substance use disorder and mental health. Through her work, she has dedicated herself to making sure no parent has to face that journey alone.
