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 Call That Broke Me Today
A FaceTime call from my bonus son, Malachi, flipped my whole day. What started as a normal check-in turned into him admitting something he never says out loud… that since my son Jovan passed, he hasn’t been able to find that kind of connection again. And he feels lonely.
In this bonus episode, I’m sharing the real, unfiltered moment grief showed up out of nowhere and shifted everything. This is about the loneliness we don’t talk about enough, the connections we can’t replace, and the way grief hits even when life looks “fine.”
If you’ve ever felt joy and heartbreak in the same day… this one is for you.
🧡 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.