Liz Houghton: Losing My 20-Year-Old Son & How To Keep Living When Your World Ends

How can you really support someone you love when they’re going through unimaginable loss?

In this moving episode of Begin Again, Mint Velvet co-founder Liz Houghton joins Davina McCall and shares the heartbreaking story of losing her 20-year-old son Will after a cycling accident, and the moment she learned his injuries were unsurvivable.

She opens up about those final weeks together, Will’s decision to become an organ donor, and why knowing his organs helped save 12 other lives has become such an important part of his legacy.

Liz also explains what grieving families really need from the people around them, why saying their loved one’s name matters, why silence can hurt more than an imperfect attempt to reach out, and how she and her family learned to grieve differently while staying connected.

Alongside her extraordinary personal story, Liz reflects on building Mint Velvet from her kitchen table after suddenly losing her 20-year career, balancing business with motherhood, and creating a company rooted in trust, friendship and purpose.

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(00:00) Intro

(01:04) Davina's Gratitude For Mint Velvet And Liz

(02:02) Working For Topshop

(04:20) Leaving Her First Fashion Job After 20 Years

(05:55) Starting Mint Velvet

(10:36) Balancing Entrepreneurship And Motherhood

(12:34) Garnier Ad

(14:26) Monzo GBL Ad

(21:36) Getting The Call About Her Son's Accident

(29:15) Donating His Organs

(32:43) How Her Son Lives On

(36:49) Monzo 90 Days Ad

(37:59) Check In On Those Who Are Grieving

(39:30) What To Do And Say With Someone Who Is Grieving

(45:01) Grieving As A Family

(52:33) Reaching Out To Her Son's Organ Recipients

(54:38) Fixing The Problems With Organ Donation

(57:56) How Liz's Donor Initiative Lives On

(01:02:51) A Letter To Liz

(01:05:19) Her Son's Foundation

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