Susan Lieu’s story is anything but ordinary. She’s the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, a truth-seeker, and the author of The Manicurist’s Daughter, a memoir about family, loss, and the impossible beauty standards. In this episode, Susan opens up about losing her mother to a botched surgery at age 11, uncovering the secrets no one wanted to talk about, and how she found strength in the messiness of grief and resilience. It’s raw, authentic, and a conversation you don’t want to miss.
Find Susan Lieu:
🌟 Get the book: https://www.susanlieu.me/the-manicurists-daughter
🌟 Watch the one-woman show: https://susanlieu.vhx.tv/products/140-lbs-how-beauty-killed-my-mother
Find Heather and Jake’s Help from Heaven:
❤️ APOY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aplaceofyespodcast/
❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/
❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven
❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio
FIND HEATHER & JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN ⬇️
❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/
❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven
❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast
Connect with us on social media:
• Heather’s Instagram
• Jake’s Help from Heaven
• Jake’s Help from Heaven IG
• Facebook
• Our YouTube Channel
Keep scrolling for the episode transcript.
Checkout our other episodes
How Adaptive Equipment Changed My Son’s Life
“It wasn’t just a bike—it was the first time Leo could ride alongside his siblings. That moment changed everything. With the Chill-Out Chair, he’s comfortable at home, at school, everywhere. These tools gave him more than mobility. They gave him a way to be part of the world.”
What Life Looks Like After Losing My Husband to Brain Cancer – Maria Quiban Whitesell
“When my husband was diagnosed, I felt completely lost. I wasn’t prepared for the caregiving, the fear, or the grief that came after. I wrote You Can’t Do It Alone because I learned the hardest way possible—none of us should have to walk through this kind of loss alone.”
Gabby Petito’s Moms on “Surviving” Mother’s Day
“The world knows Gabby’s name, but they don’t know what it’s like to wake up every day without her. Birthdays, holidays, Mother’s Day—nothing feels the same. We miss her laugh. Her light. Everything. And there are things we wish we’d said, things we’ll always carry.”