Episode 5

full
Published on:

9th Jul 2025

Sisters, Secrets & The Nazi Past: Uncovering The Man Who Calculated Death

Two American sisters. Their mother's plea from her deathbed to finish her memoir leads them shockingly to their Nazi-linked grandfather. A Gracie Award-winning podcast. In this unforgettable Call Me Friend episode, host Daryn Kagan talks with Suzanne and Stephanie Rico about their gripping podcast The Man Who Calculated Death, exploring family legacy, Nazi Germany, and the truth hidden in a dying mother’s memoir. If you’re into family secrets, WWII history, or award winning storytelling this one’s for you.

In This Episode You Will Learn

  • How a dying mother’s memoir sparked a deep investigation into a Nazi-linked family history
  • The process of turning personal trauma and family secrets into an award-winning podcast
  • What it was like for two sisters to uncover their grandfather’s role in Hitler’s weapons program
  • The emotional and ethical weight of confronting Holocaust history within your own lineage
  • How science, journalism, and sisterhood came together to reveal uncomfortable truths
  • The real story behind the V-1 vengeance weapon and its ties to Nazi concentration camps
  • What the Rico sisters learned about legacy, generational trauma, and redemption
  • Behind the scenes of creating The Man Who Calculated Death as a sister-led podcast team
  • Why resilience, collaboration, and truth-telling are core to both their podcast and their healing journey

Discover how a journalist and a scientist used podcasting to unravel their grandfather’s role in Hitler’s weapons program and what they found at a concentration camp that changed everything.

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Timestamps :

  • (00:00) A dying wish: Finish my memoir
  • (01:00) Meet Suzanne Rico and her Emmy-worthy storytelling 
  • (02:36) How Facebook connected two recovering journalists
  • (05:28) Daryn discovers the powerful podcast The Man Who Calculated Death
  • (07:00) The legacy of their grandfather’s weapon design for Hitler
  • (08:36) Stephanie—voice memos, war stories, and Nazi archives
  • (11:06) From memoir to podcast: how it evolved
  • (13:12) Did their mom know they’d uncover Nazi secrets?
  • (15:00) The weight of truth: family guilt and generational trauma
  • (17:12) The V-1 vengeance weapon and ties to concentration camps
  • (19:06) Sisters reflect on truth, teamwork, and emotional healing
  • (21:42) The aunts: storytelling, survival, and sisterhood
  • (24:00) What the Rico sisters learned about resilience
  • (27:00) Legacy, redemption, and one powerful apology to a Holocaust survivor
  • (30:12) Behind the scenes: How working with a sister shapes the project
  • (34:36) Advice for sister teams launching podcasts

Key Takeaways:

  • A dying mother’s memoir launched a multi-year investigation into a family’s Nazi-linked past
  • Suzanne and Stephanie Rico used journalism, science, and family archives to create an award-winning podcast
  • Their grandfather designed Hitler’s V-1 vengeance weapon and joined the Nazi party for career survival
  • The sisters’ emotional journey included confronting Holocaust survivors and family myths
  • Sisterhood, resilience, and truth-telling are at the heart of both their podcast and their lives

Guest Bios:

Suzanne Rico is a former TV journalist turned podcast creator. She’s the writer, narrator, and producer of The Man Who Calculated Death, a deeply personal and award-winning exploration of her family's past.

Stephanie Rico is a sustainability strategist with a background in science. Fluent in German and equally devoted to the investigation, she joined her sister on this podcast journey, helping uncover crucial documents and interviewing family members.

Kallan Kagan is a creative producer and co-executive producer of Call Me Friend. With a background in storytelling, branding, and creative development, she brings a unique blend of heart and strategy to every project. As Daryn Kagan’s sister, Kallan offers a behind-the-scenes force of connection, structure, and style, helping to shape the podcast’s vision, tone, and emotional impact.

Resource Links:

Keywords:

The Man Who Calculated Death, Suzanne Rico, Stephanie Rico, Nazi Germany, family secrets, WWII podcast, V-1 weapon, Holocaust, generational trauma, podcast sisters, memoir to podcast, storytelling, history podcast, Call Me Friend, Daryn Kagan, female podcasters, podcasting sisters, Gracie Award, redemption stories, truth telling, ww2, world war 2, Adolf Hitler

Transcript
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Call Me Friend
Who do you call when life gets real? When the good news hits, the heartbreak lands, or you're just having one of those days—you call a friend. That’s the heartbeat of Call Me Friend—a feel good biweekly podcast that drops you into the kind of conversations that remind us who we are, where we belong, and why friendship matters.

Hosted by former network news anchor, wife, mom, and Airbnb host Daryn Kagan, Call Me Friend is your weekly reminder of the joy, laughter, and healing that come with connection. Each week, Daryn picks up the phone from Ms. Lou’s Cabin—a 50-year-old log home she and her husband lovingly restored and turned into an Airbnb—to chat with someone in her world, whether it’s a celebrity, her childhood bestie, or someone she just met along the way or maybe even YOU. No matter who she’s calling, the focus is always the same: celebrating the power of friendship and connection.

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This show is for anyone craving more depth, more heart, and more of the good stuff that makes life not just bearable—but beautiful. It’s a cozy corner of the podcast world where emotional wellness, storytelling, and humor live in harmony. Whether you’re looking for comfort, relatable stories, or a pick-me-up on a hard day, this podcast is for you, yes YOU. Expect wild stories, sweet memories, laugh-out-loud moments, and those quiet “Yeah… me too” pauses that make you feel truly seen.

Fun segments like “You Gotta Meet My Friend” spotlight special guests introducing someone they love, while “Call Me, Friend” invites listeners to write in with questions and stories. And the “Friend Questionnaire” keeps things surprising, uncovering the quirks and connections that make every friendship unique.

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Call Me Friend is more than a podcast. It’s a weekly call you can count on. A soft place to land. A reminder that even when life feels messy, everything gets better when you talk to a friend. If you love heartfelt conversations, personal stories, and a little laughter with your life lessons, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.

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About the Host:

Daryn Kagan is a former CNN anchor turned full-time storyteller. After leaving the fast-paced world of network news, she built a life rooted in purpose, connection, and authenticity. Now living on the quiet Georgia coast, Daryn records Call Me Friend from Ms. Lou’s Cabin, a restored 50-year-old log home turned Airbnb. From there she runs the nationwide Just One More Foundation giving grants for second chances. A wife, mom, dog mama, and connection junkie, Daryn’s superpower is bringing people together—and her gift for real conversation is what makes this podcast feel like catching up with your favorite friend.

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