Lindsay Ziehl is a British-born humanitarian, author, and advocate for women, raised across Australia and Africa. She was crowned Miss Victoria in 1969, survived cancer twice, and has spent over 25 years on the frontlines of domestic violence work — training 3,000 women and personally securing the release of trafficked women. She founded the Andrew Ziehl Foundation in honour of her son.
EPISODE SUMMARY
This conversation is raw, real, and deeply moving. Lindsay shares what it was like to receive news of her son Andrew’s sudden passing during COVID while stranded in South Africa with no way to travel. She talks about grief without a timeline, the hidden kindnesses Andrew left behind that only emerged after his death, and how she found the strength to build a foundation in his name. She also shares the moment at a bus station — mid-chemo, exhausted and defeated — when a tiny cat with a frozen chicken reminded her to get back up.
In This Conversation
• A nomadic childhood across three continents — and how movement became a form of strength
• Raising Andrew alone after her husband walked out after 18 years
• Receiving the phone call — Andrew’s sudden passing during COVID, unable to travel
• Andrew’s hidden kindnesses: the strangers who called to say what he did for them
• The rabbi’s wisdom: ‘Don’t ask why. Ask what now.’
• Riding a four-hour bus to chemo alone — and the cat with the frozen chicken
• Training 3,000 women in domestic violence shelters and building their independence
• At 77: ‘I still don’t know what I’m going to do when I grow up’
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction — hosts preview Lindsay’s story
01:24 Welcome to the Grit Diaries
02:04 Meet Lindsay Ziehl: British-born humanitarian, Miss Victoria 1969
04:08 Growing up: a nomadic childhood across three continents
10:12 How Lindsay ended up in Africa — marrying a musician, Zimbabwe during war
12:59 Raising Andrew alone after her husband walked out
14:51 Andrew wants to go home to Australia — letting him fly
17:37 The phone call that changed everything — Andrew’s sudden passing
19:25 Navigating grief: ‘You don’t ever get over losing a child’
21:45 Andrew’s hidden kindnesses — the calls from strangers
23:44 Turning grief into purpose: the Andrew Ziehl Foundation
26:00 Grief as teacher: ‘Take as long as you need’
27:00 Domestic violence work — shelters, training, and 3,000 women empowered
33:13 At 60, back to university. At 77, still planning
35:15 Nugget #1: The rabbi’s wisdom — ‘Don’t ask why, ask what now’
37:16 Nugget #2: The bus to chemo
40:08 The cat and the frozen chicken
41:28 ‘A Frozen Chicken and Chemo’ — Lindsay’s upcoming autobiography
43:02 Farewell and how to find Lindsay
Welcome to The Grit Diaries with Mon and Maz, where we share inspiring stories of everyday people. This episode features Maryan Bova (Mazz) and aims to highlight how individuals navigate life’s challenges to find hope and healing. It’s about personal development and finding purpose through overcoming adversity. 💖