'Dying Out Loud' Kansas City podcaster Kris Saim passes away after journey with colon cancer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 News anchor/I-Team reporter Sarah Plake covers a wide range of stories. Have a story? Send Sarah an email.

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In April, KSHB 41's Sarah Plake shared the story of Kris Saim, a Kansas City father and husband who started a podcast called Dying Out Loud, chronicling his journey with terminal stage four colon cancer.

The podcast was also a way to say all the meaningful things you want to say to your loved ones in the moment, instead of waiting until it's too late.

Through a post on his Instagram page, it was announced that Saim passed away on Oct. 10 in his home. He was 52.

He was a coach, speaker, and organizational development leader for decades before delving into his podcast.

"Kris will be remembered for his resilience, his unwavering positivity, and his insistence that we should not save our final words of gratitude for the end," the post reads. "He taught those around him how to face mortality not as a lost battle, but as a profound opportunity to love out loud and make the most of the time we have together."

In early 2026, Saim shared that he decided not to continue chemotherapy so he could focus on living his life to the fullest with his loved ones.

Saim leaves behind many loved ones, namely his husband and podcast producer, Anthony Saim, as well as his two adult children.

The Dying Out Loud podcast started as an idea while receiving biweekly chemotherapy treatments. In the chemo chair, he wrote dozens of letters, originally intended as goodbye letters, to his loved ones.

"I had amassed this collection of 74 letters written to a variety of people," Saim told KSHB 41 in April. "Anthony, my husband, decided, 'Hey, we should do something with them. Not just mail them, we should make a video of you reading these to people.'"

That's how the podcast and an outpouring of support and positivity followed.

Saim brought the recipients of the letters onto the podcast, reading the letters to them in real time. There were lots of tears but also laughter and reminiscing.

"Talking about death has really allowed me to find the kind of hope I need," Saim told KSHB 41. "I just feel a lot more ready for what's inevitable then I've ever felt before. There's a great sense of peace in that, and because of that, I'm fulfilled. There isn't one thing I need or want, besides having my people be okay whenever this happens."

Saim wanted everyone to keep this in mind: Newly released data from the American Cancer Society shows colorectal cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in men and women under the age of 50.

"Dying Out Loud" can be found on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple and is on social media.