There's a man who never had a near-death experience. He had something more honest. He had a slow death he could watch coming. And he wrote it all down before the cancer took him at 37.His name was Paul Kalanithi. Neurosurgery resident at Stanford. Eight months from finishing the longest training in medicine. Diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer he'd never earned. He went back to the operating room until his hands shook. He and his wife had a daughter anyway. He wrote a book about what dying does to a life. He died before he could finish it.Tonight we start there — with the man who told the truth on his way out — and then I'm going to tell you what I've actually seen as a funeral director, from this side of the door. People floating above their bodies. Lights at the end of tunnels. Loved ones who've already passed showing up at the foot of the bed. Stories I don't have a framework for. Stories that don't fit anywhere except in the room I stand in.This is The Mortals — Episode #231. Near-Death Experiences From A Funeral Director's Perspective.— NathanCHAPTERS0:00 Cold open — happy belated Mother's Day & tonight's setup2:30 Meet Paul Kalanithi — the writer who became a neurosurgeon5:25 Stage 4 at 36 — eight months from finishing residency8:20 22 months — what Paul did with the time he had left13:35 When Breath Becomes Air — Lucy finishes the book15:40 The funeral director's version of the same question20:00 Joe Rogan said funerals are a scam — here's my answer31:30 Socials, AI, and the song I'm finally releasing37:00 Don't wait — go do the thingWatch live every Tuesday at 7 PM ET. Subscribe so you don't miss next week.🛍 Shop my suits, gear & favorites → stan.store/thenathanmorris🕯 Join The Mortals community → stan.store/thenathanmorris🎙 Listen to the podcast → stan.store/thenathanmorris📩 Get the Sunday letter → stan.store/thenathanmorris#themortals #nathanmorris #neardeathexperience #funeraldirector #paulkalanithi #whenbreathbecomesair #grief #podcast

0:00 Cold open — sit down, grab the tea2:00 Opening statement: October 1956, Chicago — Vivian Maier walks down a sidewalk6:00 The 150,000 photographs nobody ever saw13:00 Why did she do it? The question I keep sitting with15:30 The room with the door closed — this episode's thesis17:30 My grandfather, the double Windsor knot, and the mundane that mattered23:00 Grief as fuel — what Vivian and I have in common29:00 Nixon, Watergate, and dying without your name cleared34:00 Why I keep writing songs that nobody might ever hear43:00 The TikTok story: showing up every day for three years even when I couldn't walk52:00 Reframing — your suffering is the storage locker57:00 Mortals shoutouts + the next single artwork vote——What if the most important work you'll ever do is work nobody is going to clap for?This week on The Mortals Live, I tell the story of Vivian Maier — the Chicago nanny who walked the streets for 40 years with a camera around her neck, took 150,000 photographs, never developed almost any of them, never showed them to anyone, and died alone in 2009 not knowing she would become one of the greatest American photographers of the 20th century.I think about her a lot. Because there is a room you stand in alone — the one with the door closed — where the only witness to the work is you. The recovery. The marriage. The child you're raising. The song you can't stop writing. The grief you're carrying.Nobody is paying for it. Nobody is thanking you. Nobody might ever see it.But the work is the work. And the recognition is beside the point.This is for the people in that room.Tuesdays at 7pm EST.JOIN THE MORTALS — first looks, first listens, producer credits on the next single: https://nathanmorrismusic.com/supporters"Feel Anything" — out now wherever you stream music.Nathan Morris is a singer-songwriter and former funeral director. The Mortals is a weekly conversation about grief, music, and the people who keep doing the work in the room with the door closed.#TheMortals #NathanMorris #VivianMaier #Grief #FuneralDirector #LifeAfterLoss #Mortality #Podcast

0:00 Welcome back — and the boo-boo from last week2:45 The garage sale that worked because the sign said "good stuff, not junk"7:00 Caramels, ASMR, and stepping outside the comfort zone10:30 Derby week chaos in Louisville — and the 8:47 PM start time14:15 Opening statement: Margaret, Earl, and the room after the room24:00 Funeral directors don't hum in empty chapels (except they do)32:00 The voice memo that became a song I haven't finished36:30 Do I miss dead people? The honest answer.41:00 Performing vs. being authentic — when the curtain closes47:30 The box that opened and won't close52:00 The 18-year-old who messaged about my videos changing his path——What happens in the room after the room?After 228 episodes and a season away, Nathan Morris returns with the question that won't leave him alone — what waits on the other side of the threshold we all eventually cross?The Mortals is a weekly conversation about death, near-death, and the quiet thread connecting every breath to the next. Hosted by a former funeral director who's helped lay hundreds of people to rest — and lived to write songs about it.New episodes drop every Tuesday at 7 PM ET.Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OEFJ4GX7ylWSMk4p0dz82Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mortals/id1436094260Nathan's music: https://nathanmorrismusic.com#TheMortals #NathanMorris #NearDeathExperience #LifeAfterLoss #FuneralDirector #Grief #Mortality #Podcast

0:00 Welcome — three weeks in a row2:40 Opening statement: the person who shows up on a random Tuesday8:15 Why presence costs something — and why nobody eulogizes it13:00 The first transfer I ever did — the hoarder's house22:30 My brother sat for ten minutes and didn't say a word28:00 Patterns, mundane fundamentals, and why showing up matters34:00 The funeral home as the most alive place I worked40:15 The mortuary school call to a stranger in Washington — "check your pulse"44:30 The April 2023 prayer I've never told anyone47:00 Things don't happen TO us. They happen.——There's a specific kind of person nobody ever talks about.Not the one who came to the funeral. Not the one who sent flowers. Not the one who texted six months later.I mean the person who showed up on a random Tuesday. Knocked on your door. Didn't say anything. Just sat with you.In Episode 3 of The Mortals Live, I talk about what that kind of presence actually costs another person — and why the people who do it never get eulogized.I spent seven years walking into homes after someone died. First calls. And in every single room, there was always one person who wasn't crying. Who was just holding the hand of the person who was. Quiet. Present. Steady.That person is the reason anyone else got through the night.This episode is for them.We go deep on the story of the first time someone showed up for me — a parking lot, a phone call I didn't ask for, and a man who didn't know he was saving me. We open the super chats. Come sit in the room.JOIN THE MORTALS — Producer credits on every live show. Vote on my next cover single. Link below.https://nathanmorrismusic.com/supporters"Feel Anything" — Out now on all platforms.Every Tuesday, 7pm Eastern.Nathan Morris is a singer-songwriter and former funeral director. The Mortals Live is a weekly show about grief, music, and the people who hold the room together while everyone else falls apart.

0:00 You came back — Holy Week opens3:15 Opening statement: the table the world holds its breath for8:00 Your "chair" stories from last week12:30 Terminal lucidity — the last normal night18:45 Good Friday in funeral service23:00 The boy in the suit at the graveside ("Is he in the box?")28:30 Holy Saturday — the most underrepresented day in grief33:15 The family who made a list of "weekend jobs"37:40 Selection Room — why funeral homes need to show up online42:50 Resurrection in real life: cooking breakfast on the beach——Every Tuesday at 7pm EST, this is the room.No highlight reel. No performance. Just honest conversation about grief, loss, and what it means to keep going.This week is Holy Week — and I couldn't let this Tuesday pass without talking about what this week actually means for the people who are carrying something heavy right now.Tonight I'm sharing stories from 15 years inside the funeral profession. The families I sat with. The moments I've never forgotten. And why the part of the Easter story nobody talks about — the Saturday in between — might be the most honest picture of grief ever written.We'll also talk about what it means to serve people on the worst days of their lives, and why that work deserves to be seen.If you're in a season of waiting right now — if your table has an empty seat this week — this one is for you.https://selectionroom.iohttps://stan.store/thenathanmorrisText me: https://laylo.com/nathanmorris

0:00 Cold open — why I'm doing this3:30 First inaugural live: who this room is for8:45 The smell of a funeral home, and what it means14:20 The widow and her husband's chair (the story)22:10 Grief lives in the small things, not the flowers28:00 Q&A — what would you say to someone you've lost?33:40 Why I write songs from this work40:15 Acoustic performance — Feel Anything50:00 Closing: kindness wins. Be slow to judge.——Some grief doesn't come with flowers. It comes with a chair that nobody sits in anymore.Tonight I'm telling a story from my years as a funeral director — one I've never shared publicly, about a widow who said seven words that I've never forgotten.Drop the name in the chat tonight of someone you've lost.Tuesdays at 7pm EST.Listen to 'Feel Anything': https://tr.ee/rOCca3Connect with Nathan: https://laylo.com/nathanmorris

What if you were declared dead—only to wake up alive? In this haunting episode of The Mortals, I’m Nathan Morris, your guide through life’s darkest edges, uncovering a true story that defies logic. Dive into the chilling mystery of a person pronounced deceased, placed in a coffin, and then shockingly revived, as if pulled back by an unseen force. As a mortician, I’ve seen death’s finality, and as a musician, I’ve felt its echoes in my songs—but this tale left me questioning everything. What happened in those lost moments? Was it a medical miracle, or something beyond our understanding? Join me to explore this eerie encounter and the whispers of the unknown. If this story grips you, share your thoughts or your own unexplainable experiences in the comments. Find more shadows at nathanmorrismusic.com. #NearDeath #TrueMystery #ParanormalThe Mortals Podcast is sponsored by Descript: https://get.descript.com/mortals Try POPPY AI: https://tr.ee/EIaE14______________________________📻 My Music: ⁠⁠ https://vyd.co/NathanMorrisBreakthrough🏛️ Mortals: https://tr.ee/i4U3ib ⚙️ My Gear: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/NathanMorris_______________________________📩 Sign up for my Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://nathanmorrismusic.beehiiv.com/subscribe _______________________________►Follow Nathan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanmorris/​Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathanmorrisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NathanMorrisMusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanmorrismusicYouTube: https://youtube.com/NathanMorrisMusic​

💀 What happens when death isn’t the end? In this chilling episode of The Mortals, we dive into two true, unexplainable near-death stories that defy science. First, meet Brian Miller, a man who was dead for 45 minutes, only to return with a haunting vision of a room he’d never seen. Then, uncover the horrifying case of Maria de Jesus Arroyo, who may have woken up in a morgue freezer—after being declared dead. How did they come back? What did they experience on the other side? Join host Nathan Morris as we tear down the walls between life and death.🔔 Don’t miss a shiver—subscribe to The Mortals and hit the notification bell for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.👕 Grab exclusive Mortals merch to wear the shadow on your sleeve🤝 Join our community for bonus content and early access💬 Have your own unexplainable story? Share it with us in the comments!The Mortals Podcast is sponsored by Descript: https://get.descript.com/mortals Try POPPY AI: https://tr.ee/EIaE14______________________________📻 My Music: ⁠⁠ https://vyd.co/NathanMorrisBreakthrough🏛️ Mortals: https://tr.ee/i4U3ib ⚙️ My Gear: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/NathanMorris_______________________________📩 Sign up for my Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://nathanmorrismusic.beehiiv.com/subscribe _______________________________►Follow Nathan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanmorris/​Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathanmorrisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NathanMorrisMusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanmorrismusicYouTube: https://youtube.com/NathanMorrisMusic​#NearDeathExperience #Unexplainable #TrueStories #Supernatural #Podcast #TheMortals

Two people died... and came back with chilling stories of ghostly voices guiding them from the brink. In this gripping episode of The Mortals, we dive into the terrifying near-death experiences of Monique Garrett, a nurse who collapsed in a haunted hospital basement in Detroit, and Luis Benavidez, a chef trapped in a deadly kitchen fire in San Antonio. Both were clinically dead for minutes—Monique for 7, Luis for over 4—yet survived against all odds after mysterious figures spoke to them with cryptic messages of purpose. Who were these spectral saviors? Were they guardians tied to these tragic places, or something else entirely? Join host Nathan Morris as we unravel these real, bone-chilling accounts of survival and the unexplainable.🕯️ Don’t miss out—hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Join The Mortals community for exclusive content and to share your own eerie experiences: [link to nathanmorrismusic.com].💀 Have you ever encountered something unexplainable? Tell us in the comments below—your story might be featured next!The Mortals Podcast is sponsored by Descript: https://get.descript.com/mortals Try POPPY AI: https://tr.ee/EIaE14______________________________📻 My Music: ⁠⁠ https://vyd.co/NathanMorrisBreakthrough🏛️ Mortals: https://tr.ee/i4U3ib ⚙️ My Gear: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/NathanMorris_______________________________📩 Sign up for my Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://nathanmorrismusic.beehiiv.com/subscribe _______________________________►Follow Nathan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanmorris/​Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathanmorrisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NathanMorrisMusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanmorrismusicYouTube: https://youtube.com/NathanMorrisMusic​

🔥 Two Unbelievable Near-Death Stories That Defy Explanation! 🔥Welcome to The Mortals, where we tear down the walls between life, death, and the eerie in-between. In this chilling episode, "The Pause Between Heartbeats," host Nathan Morris dives into two lesser-known, true near-death experiences that will leave you questioning reality itself.💀 Story 1: The Elevator Man Who 'Died' Between FloorsIn 2004, Brooklyn electrician Nicholas Sandoval was crushed in a freak elevator shaft accident—declared dead for 30 minutes. But then, a twitch. He came back… with a haunting vision of a woman in blue whispering, “You’re not supposed to go yet.” Who was she? And how did he survive the impossible?⚰️ Story 2: The Dishwasher Who Woke Up in the MorgueIn 1993, Atlanta mother Carmella Richards collapsed on the job, pronounced dead, and placed in cold storage. Over 2 hours later, she awoke in a morgue tray, gasping for air, with memories of a gray limbo and a mysterious figure questioning her identity. What pulled her back from the void?🌀 These aren’t just survival tales—they’re puzzles of the unexplainable. Were these interventions by unseen forces, or tricks of a dying mind? Join us as we linger in the pause between heartbeats, where death leaves the door ajar.💬 Have you experienced something unexplainable? Share your story with us! Join The Mortals community for deeper conversations, exclusive content, and early episode access at nathanmorrismusic.com. Your story might be the next we tell.🛒 Support the Podcast! Grab our new merch—shirts, hoodies, and stickers that carry the spirit of The Mortals. Every purchase keeps these stories alive. Shop now at nathanmorrismusic.com or via the link below.🔔 Don’t Miss a Tale! Subscribe and hit the notification bell for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes chills.🎧 Listen Now! Dive into the shadows with us. What whispers have you heard in your darkest moments? Let us know in the comments!#NearDeathExperience #TrueStories #Unexplainable #Paranormal #PodcastEpisode #TheMortals #HauntingStories #SurvivalStories #MysteryPodcastThe Mortals Podcast is sponsored by Descript: https://get.descript.com/mortals Try POPPY AI: https://tr.ee/EIaE14______________________________📻 My Music: ⁠⁠ https://vyd.co/NathanMorrisBreakthrough🏛️ Mortals: https://tr.ee/i4U3ib ⚙️ My Gear: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/NathanMorris_______________________________📩 Sign up for my Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://nathanmorrismusic.beehiiv.com/subscribe _______________________________►Follow Nathan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanmorris/​Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathanmorrisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NathanMorrisMusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nathanmorrismusicYouTube: https://youtube.com/NathanMorrisMusic​