All There Is with Anderson Cooper

Cameron Crowe, writer-director behind films like Almost Famous, reflects on his sister Kathy’s death and the clues—songs, records, photos—that opened conversations across decades. He talks about discovering her through objects, music as a bridge, and how memory reshapes relationships over time. The conversation follows grief, silence, and the small signals that keep someone present.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, author and mother who wrote about losing her son Hersh, shares intimate reflections on living with relentless grief. She reframes loss as a lasting badge of love. Conversations touch on daily presence of memory, toxic positivity versus tragic optimism, moments from October 7th, and carrying pain intentionally while seeking meaning.

Sarah Wildman, New York Times writer and editor who wrote moving essays about her daughter Orly, shares candid memories and caregiving realities. She talks about Orly’s personality, facing a cancer diagnosis, hospice and final hours. Conversations cover keeping memories alive, the awkwardness of others around grief, childhood cancer underfunding, and why letting grief be messy matters.

Dax Shepard, actor, writer, and Armchair Expert host, reflects on his father’s final days and how caregiving reshaped his view of their relationship. He also recounts the unlikely start and deepening of his friendship with Eric Dane. The conversation touches on grief, forgiveness, vulnerability, and how fatherhood changed his emotional life.

Sara Bareilles, singer-songwriter and Broadway performer, shares personal stories of loss and the role of music in processing grief. She discusses how hearing others' experiences inspired a new song and the idea of sharing grief as a kind of medicine. Listens to stories that shaped her songwriting and debuts the song 'Home'.

Robert Irwin, conservationist, photographer, and Australia Zoo manager carrying on his father’s wildlife legacy. He reflects on growing up with grief through family footage and rituals. He describes tangible keepsakes, public vulnerability on Dancing with the Stars, and finding comfort and signs in nature. Conversations touch on gratitude, memory, and how legacy shapes identity.

Gavin Newsom, California governor and author of Young Man in a Hurry, reflects on a childhood marked by silence and learning differences. He recounts discovering family truths, his mother’s trauma and doctor-assisted death, and how those experiences reshaped his approach to grief, fatherhood, and personal identity.

Eric Church, country singer-songwriter who survived a life-threatening blood clot and fronted Route 91, reflects on surviving Vegas, losing his brother, and facing PTSD. He discusses how trauma reshaped his performances and fatherhood. Conversations cover buried grief, faith as an anchor, and using intimate shows to heal.

Megan Fowley, writer and poet who was married to Andrea Gibson, shares intimate reflections on love, illness, and memory. She talks about living with loss, why ordinary questions feel small, and surprising moments of joy amid grief. The conversation explores Andrea’s idea that dying is not leaving and how to keep love present through stories, songs, and everyday rituals.

Yiyun Li, an award-winning author and professor, shares her profoundly personal journey after losing her two sons, Vincent and James, to suicide. She discusses her unconventional view on pain, describing it as an "abyss" rather than grief. Li emphasizes the importance of remembering over processing and reflects on the radical acceptance necessary to navigate such loss. Through vivid stories about her sons, she illustrates the complexities of parental love, the burden of societal misconceptions, and the enduring struggle to live with acute memories of pain.