Purpose, Not Pity
Grief changes everything. But it doesn’t get the final say.
Welcome to Purpose, Not Pity—a podcast born from loss and rooted in love, healing, and the hard conversations we don’t always know how to have.
I’m Erika Hernandez: storyteller, bonus mom, grieving mother, and healing human. After losing my son Jovan in 2023, I found myself searching for meaning in the middle of heartbreak. Not answers. Not pity. Just something real to hold onto. This podcast is that something.
Here, we talk about what happens after the world stops spinning. About life beyond the “How are you?” texts. About rebuilding identity, navigating motherhood, holding space for joy, and finding purpose through pain.
You’ll hear solo episodes, raw stories, letters from my heart, and honest conversations with people who’ve also walked through fire.
This isn’t a podcast about having it all figured out. It’s about showing up, cracked open but still standing—with purpose, not pity.
💛 You belong here. Even in the middle of the mess.
Purpose, Not Pity
The Friendships That Survive After Loss and the Ones That Don’t
When life breaks you open through loss, heartbreak, or tragedy, it is not just the person you lose. It is the friendships you thought would last forever. Some friends vanish. Some go silent. And sometimes, it is you who has to walk away.
In this raw episode of Purpose, Not Pity, Erika Hernandez shares what nobody talks about: the disappointment of friends who never show up, the shock of realizing who actually stays, and the loneliness of trying to rebuild your circle after everything changes. From being the “mom friend” who always protected others, to questioning whose responsibility it is to reach out after heartbreak, to learning how to live with a much smaller circle, this conversation is for anyone who has ever felt abandoned, angry, or deeply alone.
Because the truth is, friendships are not always forever. But the ones that survive? They are sacred.
🧡 Stay connected:
TikTok: @by.erikahernandez
Instagram: @byerikahernandez
🎧 New episodes drop the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of every month
📬 Want to share your story or connect?
Email: byerikahernandez@gmail.com
💛 Thanks for listening. Keep choosing purpose, not pity.