Tommy Loses John To Addiction & Tim To Cancer

In this deeply moving episode of The Surviving Siblings® Podcast, host Maya Roffler sits down with Tommy, a surviving sibling who lost two brothers—John to addiction and Tim to cancer. Tommy shares a powerful testimony of family, trauma, guilt, grief, and recovery offering a rare and vulnerable glimpse into what it means to survive sibling loss from two very different but equally devastating causes. Raised in Queens, New York, Tommy opens up about growing up in a family marked by love, loyalty, and generational addiction. He candidly recounts the progression of his brother John’s substance use following a workplace injury and the day he tragically discovered his brother unresponsive. Just two days later, Tommy’s beloved Aunt Angela, like a second mother to him, died by suicide. Years later, after achieving long-term sobriety, Tommy would face unimaginable grief again, this time, losing his twin brother Tim to 9/11-related cancer after witnessing his hard-fought battle to get sober. With 30+ years of recovery, Tommy now dedicates his life to helping families through his organization, Sober Companion Los Angeles, supporting others impacted by addiction and loss. This episode holds space for anyone navigating complex grief, guilt, and healing after losing a sibling to addiction, overdose, or cancer—and reminds us that asking for help is an act of strength.