This week on Ghosted, I’m joined by Addy Zandi, founder of @samesiescandy, for a conversation about unimaginable loss, family, and finding joy again.
When Addy was young, her mom, Mary, lovingly known as Tootie, died suddenly from a heart attack. Addy and her brother were home and performed CPR, a traumatic experience that forever changed their lives.
This episode is just as much about how Tootie lived as it is about how she died. Addy shares the incredible relationship she had with her mom, the woman who raised her and her siblings to dream big, work hard, embrace fun, and believe they could achieve anything. Those values continue to shape Addy today as she builds @samesiescandy, a company inspired by the joy and connection her mom always created.
We also talk about the close relationship Addy has with her siblings and her dad, how their family adapted after losing their mom, and what it was like watching her dad step into a role he had never expected to fill. Addy reflects on the challenges of seeing a parent date again and the deep appreciation she has for the father and caregiver he became.
This conversation is honest, heartfelt, and surprisingly lighthearted. It is a reminder that grief and joy can exist at the same time, and that the people we love continue to shape the lives we build long after they are gone.
