Chris Benderev

Stacey Silberman is a real estate agent in Southern California, and she's well-suited to the job because she's excellent at making conversation with strangers about anything. But for the past six and a half years, there's been this classic genre of get-to-know-you banter that's become a lot more complicated for her and her husband, Michael. And that's questions about their children.

Stacey Silberman is a real estate agent in Southern California, and she's well-suited to the job because she's excellent at making conversation with strangers about anything. But for the past six and a half years, there's been this classic genre of get-to-know-you banter that's become a lot more complicated for her and her husband, Michael. And that's questions about their children.

The answers to these questions are complicated for Stacey because her older child, Max, died in 2017. So it has been six and a half years because I have a dot tattoo for every six months. This is Stacey's husband, Michael, Max's dad. He's a CPA, straight-laced kind of guy. For the most part.

The answers to these questions are complicated for Stacey because her older child, Max, died in 2017. So it has been six and a half years because I have a dot tattoo for every six months. This is Stacey's husband, Michael, Max's dad. He's a CPA, straight-laced kind of guy. For the most part.

Did you have tattoos before he died?

Did you have tattoos before he died?

Max was a funny kid. Always loved playing pranks. Who, by 15, was struggling with drug addiction. Going in and out of treatment. He overdosed when he was 25 in his parents' house. And after he died, for a while, Michael and Stacey were around friends and family who knew what had happened. So nobody asked those, do you have kids sort of questions.

Max was a funny kid. Always loved playing pranks. Who, by 15, was struggling with drug addiction. Going in and out of treatment. He overdosed when he was 25 in his parents' house. And after he died, for a while, Michael and Stacey were around friends and family who knew what had happened. So nobody asked those, do you have kids sort of questions.

But then, Stacey traveled to a conference in Albuquerque. She was sitting down for lunch next to a couple, a friendly blonde woman and her husband. They began asking Stacey where she was from and what she did. And then, finally, those questions.

But then, Stacey traveled to a conference in Albuquerque. She was sitting down for lunch next to a couple, a friendly blonde woman and her husband. They began asking Stacey where she was from and what she did. And then, finally, those questions.

This did not go over well.

This did not go over well.

And does the conversation with them kind of stall out at that point and then they kind of go?

And does the conversation with them kind of stall out at that point and then they kind of go?

Of course, over time, this happened again and again. Strangers would ask them these sorts of questions, and when they'd answer, it'd suck all the air out of the room, which made Michael especially uncomfortable. He never liked sharing this stuff with strangers. He's more of a private person. But together, he and Stacey came up with a strategy for how to handle things.

Of course, over time, this happened again and again. Strangers would ask them these sorts of questions, and when they'd answer, it'd suck all the air out of the room, which made Michael especially uncomfortable. He never liked sharing this stuff with strangers. He's more of a private person. But together, he and Stacey came up with a strategy for how to handle things.

And so on they went, answering some questions about their kids and bobbing and weaving around others for six and a half years. Until this one day last November, when they got themselves into a situation that was very different from any that they'd been in before and very public.

And so on they went, answering some questions about their kids and bobbing and weaving around others for six and a half years. Until this one day last November, when they got themselves into a situation that was very different from any that they'd been in before and very public.

One thing to know about Stacey and Michael is they both spend a lot of their time working at a recovery center for people struggling with addiction. And sometimes they hang out with the other staff and clients there.

One thing to know about Stacey and Michael is they both spend a lot of their time working at a recovery center for people struggling with addiction. And sometimes they hang out with the other staff and clients there.