Darnell Lamont Walker

Darnell Lamont Walker is a celebrated death doula, Emmy-nominated writer, and storyteller redefining how we talk about life, loss, and everything in between. He guides individuals and communities through the raw terrain of grief toward healing, joy, and peace, reminding us that dying well begins with living fully. His highly anticipated debut book, Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula and the Art of a Peaceful End, takes readers to the threshold where compassion meets courage, offering lessons on how to face mortality and celebrate life with intention. Beyond end-of-life care, Darnell is an Emmy-nominated children’s television writer whose words have shaped some of the most beloved shows on screen, including PBS Kids’ Work It Out Wombats!, Netflix’s Karma’s World, and Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues & You. Whether assisting the dying or writing for children discovering the world, his work beats with the same heart: empathy, truth, and wonder.

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Darnell Lamont Walker: Listen to a Death Doula: This I...

“This is sometimes what love looks like. People want to love you—let people love you.”

It’s a phrase death doula Darnell Lamont Walker has spoken countless times at bedsides, to those who feel ashamed of being seen in their vulnerability, those who don’t want to be a burden, those who have spent a lifetime giving but struggle to receive. What he’s discovered is that the end of life has a way of revealing what love actually is—and it often looks nothing like we expected.

An Emmy-nominated children’s television writer, documentary filmmaker, and death doula, Darnell has accompanied people through life’s final transition since he was a teenager. In this deeply moving conversation, he shares the profound lessons about love and connection he’s gathered from decades of this sacred work.

Join Tami and Darnell as they explore:

  • Why letting ourselves be loved—especially when we feel most vulnerable—is one of life’s hardest and most important lessons
  • “Grief is the sequel to love”—reframing loss as a testament to how deeply we’ve connected
  • The stories people most need to tell before they die, and how sharing them becomes an act of love
  • How spirits and ancestors return for the dying—and what this reveals about love’s continuity
  • The surprising joy that emerges from death work
  • What it means to “die empty” and leave nothing unloved or unexpressed

Whether you’ve supported someone through dying or are simply longing to love and be loved more fully, Darnell offers wisdom that will stay with you long after the conversation ends.

This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.

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This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.

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This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.

This episode is sponsored by Omega Institute, a global gathering hub for lifelong learning and spiritual exploration. Located in upstate New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega offers weekend workshops, special events, rest and rejuvenation retreats, professional trainings, online learning, and more. Discover what calls to you at eomega.org/true.