Road Tripping with Jen + Tyler Merritt: On Grief, Midlife, Creativity, and the Unexpected Stories That Save Us
“Some of the hardest things you’ve ever been through? You made it. You’re still here.”
— Tyler Merritt (reflecting on resilience and survival)
Episode 97
In this special Road Tripping episode, Jen invites her partner, actor/activist/author Tyler Merritt, to join her live after a last-minute schedule pivot. What unfolds is a night of honesty, hilarity, vulnerability, and deep connection.
Jen reads two scenes from Awake—one from the earliest days of shock and grief, and one from the chaotic, hilarious adventure of dating again at midlife. She shares the moment her body finally allowed her to grieve, the unexpected relief that followed, and how storytelling helped rebuild her life from the inside out.
Tyler joins her onstage and opens up about his own journey: discovering creativity as a kid in a sports household, what midlife has taught him, how his rare cancer diagnosis reshaped his priorities, and how their love story began on a night in New York City neither saw coming. He and Jen talk candidly about walking through illness together, finding joy even in hard seasons, and why Awake speaks to all genders—not just women.
This episode is tender, funny, surprising, and deeply human—a reminder that grief can crack us open in ways that eventually let the light back in.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Awake: A Memoir by Jen Hatmaker
This Changes Everything: A Surprisingly Funny Story About Race, Cancer, Faith, and Other Things We Don’t Talk About by Tyler Merritt
Simple Habit meditation app (referenced in the grief scene)
Corey Muscara (meditation guide Jen listened to)
The Tyler Merritt Project
Waitress: The Musical (where Jen and Tyler first met)
Take a peek around
If you’re not sure where to begin, I got you, friend. I’m always bringing you something new to enjoy.
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