Episode 176 · March 18, 2025
Part Two: Dana Day - Reconstructing Life After Her Sister's Death by Suicide
with Dana Day, Owner, Dana Build and Design; speaker and suicide-loss advocate
33 min
Part Two: Dana Day - Reconstructing Life After Her Sister's Death by Suicide
Never miss an episode
In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Dana Day for part two of our conversation — and I'll be honest with you, this was one of the hardest conversations I've ever had on the podcast. In part one we talked about Dana's passion as a builder and her time on HGTV. This time we move into her purpose, which is something altogether different and deeply personal: the loss of her younger sister, Leslie, to suicide.
Dana is raw and vulnerable here. She walks us through the depression Leslie battled for most of her life, the guilt and regret that came after, and the long road of grief counseling, therapy, and faith that brought her to a place of healing. She speaks honestly about blaming herself, about the anger and even self-harm that followed, and about the moment she felt God tell her she was "ready" to share her story so it might help others.
If you've ever carried the weight of losing someone this way — or you love someone who is struggling — I pray this conversation meets you right where you are. Please know there is hope, and there are resources. You can call or text 988 anytime, day or night, or visit 988lifeline.org. Keep going.
Key takeaways
- A suicide attempt is not a cry for help — Dana shares that it's an attempt to end pain, and we have to understand the depth of that mental state rather than minimize it.</br>
- The myth that suicide is "selfish" needs to go. Having known that deep, dark place herself, Dana is certain that in those moments a person isn't thinking of anyone, including themselves — they're only trying to stop the pain.
- Promises don't prevent crisis. Dana cautions never to assume someone is safe because they promised they'd reach out or wouldn't act.
- Grief from suicide brings guilt, regret, anger, and even physical symptoms — Dana experienced IBS, sleeplessness, and fatigue. Knowing these reactions are common can itself be comforting.
- Give yourself grace. Dana asks: would you speak to your best friend or your child the way you speak to yourself? The guilt is not yours to carry.
- Speaking and sharing your feelings — with a therapist, a friend, or even publicly — is a powerful form of therapy. Saying feelings out loud makes them real and helps you process them.
- For those of faith, Dana found enormous healing in picturing where God was in that moment — and seeing that He was there.
- Get help and don't go it alone: suicide grief counseling, therapy, and medication when needed are all okay. There's no shame in any of it.
“By being an open book, it's incredible how I've seen it help people. It has literally changed lives.”
“All you can think about is stopping the pain. That is it. Stopping the pain.”
“That is not yours to carry. That is not your pain to bear.”
“Wise means you can look back and see the stepping stones to get you to where you are today.”
Resources mentioned
About Dana
Owner, Dana Build and Design; speaker and suicide-loss advocate
Dana Day is the owner of Dana Build and Design and has appeared on HGTV. After losing her younger sister, Leslie, to suicide, Dana has made it her purpose to open up the conversation around suicide, destigmatize it, and offer hope to others walking through grief.
Prefer another app? Open this episode on Spotify.
Free community
Connect, learn, and grow — together.
Listening is where it starts. The free community is where it sticks — Nancy, the conversations, and a circle of women cheering each other on. It's free to join, and there's a seat for you.
Join the free community →Keep listening
Episode 177 · Mar 25, 2025
Show notesBrit Albin: Leaning Into Her Talents By Creating Meaningful Art
Brit Albin recognized and embraced her God-given talent as an artist at a young age, but that didn't mean it was an easy path to pursue. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Episode 175 · Mar 11, 2025
Show notesDana Day: Special Two Part Episode - Part One: Living Her Passion as a Home Builder
Dana Day is the Owner of Dana Build and Design in Tulsa. She’s an incredible person who is very passionate about what she does and that is evidenced throughout her 20 plus year career including being selected to appear in a series on HGTV,…
Episode 178 · Apr 1, 2025
Show notesKristin Switzer: Inspired to Organize
With Spring in full swing, we're visiting with Kristin Switzer, Owner @2borganizedtulsa. Kristin tapped into her passion of organizing at a young age but didn't turn it into a business until later in life.