58, Sharon

Tracee Herbaugh is a freelance journalist, a wife, a mom, a griever, and an adult orphan. She grew up in small town Colorado and now comes to us from just outside Boston, Massachusetts.

Tracee has a strong work ethic and an even stronger "Mom" ethic.

Tracee spent most of her younger life living with her grandparents as her mother was a war correspondent for the Associated Press and many times had jobs out of state and overseas. Tracee did not know anything about her dad during this time, and many times saw her grandparents as parental figures, though the large age gap and the overall situation was difficult to navigate at times. Tracee had to figure out a lot of things on her own.

When Tracee was 9, her mother had come back to visit. They left that visit on strange terms as Sharon was attempting to act motherly, but Tracee didn't have that connection with her. Four years later, when Tracee was 13, the family received news that Sharon had been in a helicopter on assignment, when the helicopter crashed.

We speak about this time in a small town, what it's like when everyone knows one another and everyone's business.

Tracee went away to college and began to embark on her own journey, grateful to escape small town Colorado. Fast forward years later and Tracee finally discovers her sperm donor's identity after completing a DNA test on one of the ancestry sites. She explains what a rollercoaster this discovery was and discusses the ultimate ending to the mystery.

Tracee has written two articles that are published works which both provide great insight to her feelings and journey, and those are located here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/04/18/attack-on-ap-journalists-in-afghanistan-rekindles-a-daughters-pain/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/06/01/my-mother-abandoned-me-as-a-child-it-took-having-kids-of-my-own-for-me-to-forgive-her/

Podcast Spotlight:

Got Grief

Welcome to the podcast about Adults bereaved as Children. To find out more and get involved follow us on Instagram: @gotgriefpodcast

Listen to "Tracee" on Got Grief on Apple Podcasts or Spotify now.

If you'd like to donate to Tim Harris' project of providing free therapy to at least one person for one year, please visit www.grievingisbreathing.com/donate

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Additional production and music by Ian Releford.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

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Email: parentlesspodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.