# Losing His Son and Wife to Addiction: Turning Grief Into Purpose | Jeff Johnston

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/wake-up-with-marci-7221170/losing-his-son-and-wife-to-addiction-turning-grief-into-purpose-jeff-johnston
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/wake-up-with-marci-7221170/losing-his-son-and-wife-to-addiction-turning-grief-into-purpose-jeff-johnston.md
Podcast: [Wake Up with Marci](https://stenobird.com/podcast/wake-up-with-marci-7221170)
Published: 2026-07-30T13:00:02+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/losing-his-son-and-wife-to-addiction-turning-grief-into-purpose-jeff-johnston--73256085
Audio file: https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73256085/jeff.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3377

## Resource

After losing his 23-year-old son, Seth, to fentanyl poisoning and later his wife, Prudence, to alcoholism, Jeff Johnston faced unimaginable grief. Instead of allowing these losses to define his future, he turned his pain into a mission to help others. In this powerful episode of Wake Up with Marci, Jeffery shares his journey through addiction, grief, and healing. He discusses the stigma surrounding substance use and mental health, the founding of the Living Undeterred Project, and how he transformed personal tragedy into meaningful change. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How Jeff navigated profound grief and loss * Why we must change the conversation around addiction * The connection between substance use and mental health * How pain can be transformed into purpose * Why compassion and honest conversations can save lives Connect with Jeff Johnston: Website: [https://www.livingundeterred.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingundeterred Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/LivingUndeterred) LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-a-johnston/] Podcast: [https://linktr.ee/LivingUndeterred] Book: [https://www.thisonesforyoubook.com] New episodes of Wake Up with Marci are available every Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, and the ONNJ Network. Get Marci’s bestselling book, Wake Up, You’re Not Broken: What to Expect in the First 30 Days of Sobriety: [https://a.co/d/08bfC873]

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