StoryCorps Chicago: ‘You Girls Are Everything Daddy Ever Wanted’

Mike Grover and his daughters in their matching purple unicorn shirts
Mike Grover and his daughters in their matching purple unicorn shirts. Courtesy of Lea Grover
Mike Grover and his daughters in their matching purple unicorn shirts
Mike Grover and his daughters in their matching purple unicorn shirts. Courtesy of Lea Grover

StoryCorps Chicago: ‘You Girls Are Everything Daddy Ever Wanted’

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The first time Lea Grover came to StoryCorps, she talked with her husband Mike about their decision to get married and have kids in spite of his terminal cancer diagnosis.

Last year, as Mike’s cancer progressed, they talked about their girls — 9-year-old Rivka and 11-year-old twins Sophia and Deborah.

Mike Grover died at age 38 in January, and last month, Lea and her girls spoke about their feelings since his death and their favorite memories of him.

To learn more, check out Lea’s blog about scattering Mike’s ashes on a family road trip.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Rivka, Sophia and Deborah’s ages.

This interview was facilitated for StoryCorps by Mary Bess Ser.

Bill Healy produces StoryCorps Chicago for WBEZ and teaches journalism at Northwestern University. A podcast he produced was a finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting. Follow him @chicagoan.