Name: Death And Finding Home | Mortician Victor M. Sweeney + Author Daniel Nayeri
Uploaded: 2026-03-04T14:42:39.000Z
Duration: 3280
Description: In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney sits down with author and refugee Daniel Nayeri to talk about "Death And...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney sits down with author and refugee Daniel Nayeri to talk about "Death And Finding Home." Their conversation weaves through Daniel’s experience fleeing Iran as a child after his mother’s religious conversion, what it means to build a sense of home, and the “patchwork” nature of identity for refugees. Daniel reflects on the "fertilizer generation"—being the bridge between an old world left behind and the hope of a future home for his son—while Victor draws parallels to his own journey through different regions and cultures. Together, they unpack how grief, gratitude, and the search for belonging shape our lives, especially for those forced to start anew.

Links
http://danielnayeri.comhttps://www.instagram.com/danielnayerihttps://x.com/DanielNayerihttps://www.facebook.com/danielnayeri
https://www.powells.com/book/everything-sad-is-untrue-a-true-story-9781646142729?srsltid=AfmBOort6cuhhgw3T_DwVVkQLJWo5d5frzaqCi4_q4jmlnllzhVy6HHE
http://instagram.com/victor.m.sweeney
http://tiktok.com/@victormsweeney
http://x.com/victormsweeney
http://simonandschuster.com/books/Now-Departing/Victor-M-Sweeney/9781668062111

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00:00 Victor introduces the episode and guest, Daniel Nayeri
01:32 Exploring facts vs. truths through dragons and storytelling
02:07 Daniel’s memoir, fairy tales, and the power of myth
03:10 The meaning of home and the refugee experience
04:38 Victor answers: Does he critique other funeral directors?
06:49 Charlotte’s question: Did Viking post-mortem practices work?
10:08 Daniel’s journey from Iran to America and Oklahoma as home
14:04 The search for home after moving many times
15:20 What defines home for those with “patchwork” backgrounds
18:48 How Daniel’s experience shapes his parenting and his son’s identity
21:54 Fertilizer, family, and building a new lineage
25:02 The house with the birds in its walls—family memories in Iran
28:54 Old place vs. new place: contesting the “tales of immigrant woe”
31:16 Positivity, silver linings, and the choice of book title
36:17 Fact vs. truth: beautiful things as “supposals”
36:48 Daniel’s mother’s perseverance and her American journey
41:09 Victor and Daniel discuss “tarof” and hospitality
47:02 The weight of gratitude as a refugee and guest
49:14 Closing reflections on gratitude, humanity, and Daniel’s impact
50:01 Where to find Daniel’s books and new projects
51:03 Victor’s final thoughts: fiction, compassion, and seeing people deeply

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