Episode 79 marks the beginning of our Holiday Prisonwife Storytelling Series, a space created to honor the voices, experiences, and emotions that surface during the hardest time of year for prison wives and loved ones.

In this first episode, we sit down with Danielle, a prison wife from Michigan, as she opens up about navigating her first holiday season without her loved one. Danielle shares the reality of the grief, loneliness, and emotional whiplash that comes with the holidays—while also talking honestly about how she’s learning to cope and hold herself together during this season.

She also takes us back to last Christmas, when she and her loved one first met, reflecting on how quickly life can change and how love can still grow even in the most unexpected and difficult circumstances.

This episode is raw, emotional, and deeply relatable for anyone facing the holidays with an empty seat at the table. Whether you’re in the thick of it or trying to hold onto hope, Danielle’s story is a reminder that you are not alone—and that your story matters.