Nobody Knows Your Story: Recent Episodes
Larry Camp
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As the title says, in this episode we'll learn about the life of Dustin (Dusty) Camp.
At the age of 31 Dusty clutched his stomach and collapsed. He was gone within an hour and we didn't know why for a couple of months.
His official cause of death was a spontaneous dissection of the right iliac artery. The iliac arteries branch off of the base of the aorta. This part of the aorta is called the abdominal aorta because it's in your belly. The iliac arteries are blood vessels that provide blood to the lower extremities, including the legs, reproductive organs and pelvic region. The pelvis is the lower part of your torso, just above where your legs connect at the hips.
Once again, Dusty was 31. An iliac artery aneurysm typically affects older adult males often between 65 and 75 years of age. I remember being told by someone in the medical examiners office that for this to happen to Dusty was not one in a million, but more like one in five million.
We'll never know exactly why this happened to Dusty but we believe an accident he suffered a couple of years earlier may have compromised his artery.
In this episode, members of Dusty's family recall "Dusty moments". I've also included a few songs from artists Dusty enjoyed.
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Rod Osborne was an FBI agent for 26 years. He’s lived all over including several faraway places like Spain, the Philippines and China. Now, just this information alone would be enough to get a people person to want to hear Rod’s story but wait; there’s more.
Did you happen to see the Hulu docuseries, “Mormon No More”? Rod, his wife Nan, and four of their five children appear in the show which deals with Rod’s daughter Sally falling in love with another woman while both married to men. I may be a bit biased, but I thought it was great!
As I visited with Rod and he shared his story, time and time again we realized we had much in common. I should say that Rod and I are friends, teammates on a tournament softball team. As Rod shares his life story, I know each listener will come away impressed by his dedication to family, country and truth.
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In high school Steve Gamlin had a crush on a girl named Tina, but he was too shy to ask her out. Twenty-one years later Steve received an email from Tina. She wondered what he was up to because as crazy as it may have seemed, Tina had an interest in Steve in back in high school as well.
One thing led to another, and they ended up together. As Steve shares his story, we end up talking quite a bit about Tina & Steve’s relationship and some of the things they have been able to do.
In this episode, Steve talks about his love for Tina and how she has been the inspiration for much of Steve has gone on to accomplish. Tina was also instrumental along with Steve in creating BeachBum Philanthropy and he explains just exactly what that is.
This talk story session is moving, and I know it will leave a lasting impression on each listener. You’ll also learn the significance of number 6386.
Contact Steve:
SteveGamlinSpeaker.com
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Episode Summary
If you’ve ever questioned your faith, struggled with loss, or felt the weight of expectations, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways
- Larry Camp's journey reflects a deep connection to music and family.
- Mental health discussions are crucial in high-demand religious settings.
- Personal growth often comes from questioning /clarifying beliefs.
- High-demand religions often create an image that members feel pressured to maintain.
- Women in Mormonism face significant limitations due to patriarchal structures.
- Community support is crucial for those who leave religious groups.
- Human connection fosters hope and resilience.
- Coping with faith and loss requires empathy and understanding.
- Engaging in fun activities is essential for well-being.
- Curiosity and learning are vital for personal growth.
In this powerful episode of Even Tacos Fall Apart, Larry Camp opens up about his life, his journey with the Mormon faith, and how leaving it shaped his mental health. A lifelong lover of music, sports, and Hawaii, Larry’s story is filled with twists and turns that reflect resilience and the importance of forging your own path.
One of the most moving parts of the interview came when Larry discussed the loss of his son, Dusty, in 2018. This devastating event, coupled with his departure from the Mormon Church, tested his resilience and emotional strength. He credited his wife of 44 years, Judy, as his rock during this challenging period. Larry candidly shared how the family coped and how his other son, Crosby, continues to struggle with Dusty’s death.
Larry also reflected on the beauty and challenges of living in Hawaii. Though he adored the Aloha spirit, the financial reality of life on the islands eventually led him and Judy to settle in Southern Utah. His passion for music, sports, and storytelling remains central to his life, as evidenced by his own podcast Nobody Knows Your Story, where he explores the richness of human experiences.
Throughout the conversation, Larry stressed the value of community—both in and out of religion. He also shared a poignant insight about personal growth: “You can’t change the past, but you can always aim to do better moving forward.”
This episode is a heartfelt reminder that mental health journeys are rarely straightforward, but with the right people in your corner and a willingness to seek truth, healing is always possible. Whether you’re grappling with faith, loss, or life’s uncertainties, Larry’s story offers wisdom, humor, and hope for finding peace on your own terms.
Invictus - William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning's of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Link to YouTube interview:
https://youtu.be/dh3lxlK2O1w?si=ZQWY7u8Bypj6uefQ
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David Kalākaua (1836–1891) was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, serving from 1874 until his death in 1891. Known as the "Merrie Monarch", he was a strong advocate of Hawaiian culture, arts, and identity at a time when outside influences were rapidly changing the islands. Kalākaua revived traditional practices such as hula, which had been suppressed by missionaries, and promoted Hawaiian music, dance, and folklore.
His legacy lives on through the Merrie Monarch Festival, an annual celebration of Hawaiian culture and hula named in his honor.
Kalakaua- Renaissance King by Helena G. Allen
Academy of Hawaiian Arts • Kumu Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomaluhttps://youtu.be/s5CcmXiLFMA?si=DjON6JYCV0PjLys1
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In this episode of the Nobody Knows Your Story podcast, Barry Adkins shares his life story but also, an important message. A message that came his way after the sudden and tragic death of his son Kevin. A big part of his after Kevin story included a long walk with a special message.
Now Barry's life story is more than losing his son. He talks about the life before one loses a child, and the life after. But certainly what Barry has been doing since Kevin's passing has been enlightening and helpful to many.
Barry has also written a book, Kevin's Last Walk, A Father's Final Journey with His Son.
Website: kevinslastwalk.com
Video link: https://youtu.be/v0blTIbbzO8?si=P-qLsWDBqOZZ0x56
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What would you sacrifice to follow your conscience?
In 1969, as the Vietnam War escalates and a nation divides, a young man faces the hardest decision of his life.
Bruce Wasser, a Princeton student with a promising future, receives a draft number that makes becoming a soldier a near certainty. While others debate war in lecture halls, Bruce is thrust into a personal battle—should he fight in a war he believes is unjust, or risk everything by standing as a conscientious objector?
90: A Conscientious Objector’s Journey of Quiet Resistance is a gripping memoir of moral courage and quiet defiance. Told through Bruce's deeply personal lens, this coming-of-age story explores themes of identity, integrity, and the high cost of staying true to one’s values.
I took the comments above from an Amazon description of Bruce's book. After visiting with Bruce I felt it was right in line with what we discussed. But... there's so much more to Bruce's life story. Take a listen and maybe you'll learn a bit about yourself.
Bruce's book:
90: A Conscientious Objector’s Journey of Quiet Resistance
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I really enjoyed "talking story" with Bill Simpson. I found him to be authentic as he shared his story of EVENTUALLY learning how to be better at being a kind, empathetic, communicative partner.
As Bill shared his story, he talked of failed relationships and what he was doing in these relationships that caused them to eventually implode. One thing Bill did was to seek therapy. But, perhaps the biggest thing he did was to embrace the need to change.
Take a listen and just maybe you'll relate to some of what Bill has learned. You can also get more great ideas from Bill's podcast.
PODCAST: Men on the Path to Love
WEBSITE: menonthepathtolove.com
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Welcome to episode one of season six of Nobody Knows Your Story. My guest, Rick DellaRatta sang "live" during the podcast recording which was a first and we had fun recalling how he got involved in music, specifically jazz music.
I'd say that the events of 9/11/2001 changed any American who was alive at the time. This tragedy took Rick's life in a new direction and he explains how creating Jazz for Peace has helped many better their lives. Jazz for Peace™ provides Empowerment Grants, sustainable funding and advocacy for non-profits, artists and all outstanding causes worldwide to enable them to be more productive and successful.
Email:
info@jazzforpeace.org
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Born in rural China with health issues which included open heart surgery at one, Jacob Roy spent his first few years in an orphanage. Luckily he was adopted by a wonderful woman who raised Jacob in Syracuse, NY.
In this episode, Jacob talks about growing up with few people in his life who looked like him and how sometimes he was more comfortable staying in the background.
But now, he's a graduate student at Georgetown University and starting his own podcast. We talk about these things are what his plans are going forward.
Jacob's podcast:
https://blessthebridgeshow.substack.com/
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Right now, there are 100,000 people on the planet who are here to help uplevel it. They are the guides, the teachers, the healers, the coaches—the ones who will lead the shift toward a higher consciousness.
Kelle Sparta is a transformational shaman who helps spiritual practitioners, teachers, and coaches make 6-figure+ incomes doing the work they love. After almost 50 years of study (yes, she started when she was just 5 years old), 29 years as a coach and healer, and 20 years marketing her services online, Kelle has a broad and unique perspective on what it takes to be successful in this industry.
As I listened to Kelle share her story about "helping to uplevel the planet" I of course had to ask, why can some folks communicate with those who have passed? She very calmly replied... I know, I know; I can be mean at times. :) She really does answer my question but you'll need to listen to the podcast.
ABOUT KELLE:
Website: Kellesparta.com
Book: The Over-Achiever’s Guide to Spiritual Awakening
Podcast: Spirit Sherpa
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WARNING:
This episode will contain accounts of child abuse, rape, torture and murder.
Licking the Knife is a memoir written by Sabrina Capper in which she tells of a horrific childhood growing up in Oklahoma in a high demand religion. Sabrina's grandfather, the patriarch of the family and respected in her community and church was a monster. We discuss her story and touch on important subjects such as the importance of believing a child when they tell of adults hurting them.
I want to say that though Sabrina's life in her youth was horrific, she is now living her best life and has the total support of her husband Dave and son Jack.
Our interview is not nearly as graphic as Sabrina's book, but it still may be triggering for some so it may be wise to pass on this episode.
Reach out to Sabrina: SabrinaCapper.com
TikToc: Oldladylit (Over 6 million posts - over 70K followers)
Book: Licking the Knife
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CONTENT WARNING: Suicide
This is part two of Lorna and Jack Hoopes sharing their life stories. If you have not listened to part one, you should as Lorna and Jack talk about their early lives and about how they met.
In part two they discuss their children, extended family, career path/ choices, and what they are doing now.
"Never had one boring day in my life since I met Jack." (Lorna)
*Please note that included as part of their stories will be discussions of suicide.
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This is part one of Lorna and Jack Hoopes story. I've known Lorna and Jack for a couple of years and over this time, I have learned that their lives have been anything but typical.
In part one they discuss their early years with Lorna growing up in Yuma, AZ and Jack in the Rexburg, ID area. I say area because in Jack's early years his family spent 5 months of the year about 30 miles away in Teton Valley.
As they share their stories you can begin to see events in each of their lives that molded them into the individuals they are today. They are indeed individuals and even though Lorna would tell you she might not have been the type to make waves in her youth, she's a bit different now. Jack on the other hand, he's always been a wave maker.
We'll hear more about this in part two which will come out March 5th.
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Wendy Alexander grew up in South Africa feeling the sting of segregation and racism. As Wendy shares her story she talks about her first encounter at a whites only beach when she was seven and later as she was asked to leave a whites only coach on a train at age fifteen.
Her father and mother wanted a better life for Wendy and her four siblings so the family moved to Melbourne, Australia. Wendy talks of a relationship that ended in part due to physical abuse while she was pregnant. She shares about the difficulties of having a baby while single and not having any support from the baby's father.
As I sit here and reflect on our conversation I must admit that hearing how Wendy persevered during her darkest days is what stands out. She had a large debt, had a newborn and worked hard to rise above her situation.
Wendy is a great example of someone who has a never give up attitude and it was a pleasure hearing her story.
Book: Internal Uprising
Instagram: wendy_a_alexander
CEO & Founder at Happy Career Hub - happycareerhub.com
Helping job seekers and career changers achieve better jobs, better incomes and better career options while maintaining good health, connected relationships and ongoing peace of mind.
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Zachary Liu is the youngest guest to share his story on Nobody Knows Your Story. So why did I think I should interview Zachary when he reached out?
Take a listen and I'm confident you will also be impressed with ALL that Zachary has been able to accomplish is his short 20 years.
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Wow, what a walk down memory lane it was for me when I visited with Beth Pellino-Dudzic. Beth talked about growing up in New York City, clubbing at Studio 54, dating musicians and how her life took a turn a few years ago as she put pen to paper. Yeah, she's written a "fictional" story about the rock n roll world.
But, Beth has not just written a book; she's written a series; five finished with at least one more. Take a listen as Beth talks about rock n roll from the seventies until today.
Beth's website:
Perfectionsaga.com
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TRIGGER WARNING: Physical & verbal abuse.
Deborah LeBlanc grew up and still lives in Louisiana. As she shares her story she takes the listener on a journey which began with an abusive mother, a marriage at sixteen, becoming a mother at eighteen and a number of tragedies that would have made most crumble.
Instead, Deborah chose to get educated and help others through hypnotherapy.
Now, without question, wherever Deborah goes, she travels to deliver one basic message—a message of hope…then commits to turning that hope into reality.
(Oh, she's also found time to author twenty-six books.)
WEBSITE: MINDPATHTHERAPIES.COM
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So yeah, Debbie Harfield, "The Mindful Meerkat" suffers from agoraphobia. She noticed it big time during covid as she stayed at home fearing and avoiding places or situations that might cause panic and feelings of being trapped, helpless or embarrassed. She talks about this as it's a big part of her story and how mindfulness has helped her greatly.
She also talks about her first eleven years growing up in Southampton, England and then moving to Wales and the issues that created.
Debbie has a website, themindfulmeerkat.com and on the site as well as in public settings she is helping others deal with agoraphobia by talking about the benefits of mindfulness.
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In 1976, Matthew Gray left high school to sell merch for the Eagles on their Hotel California tour. Then he did similar things for Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac. Talk about seeing the world!
But that’s just a small part of Matthew’s story. The big part revolves around food. He talks about attending one of the oldest and most prestigious cooking schools in the world, Le Cordon Bleu in London. So yes, he talks about food quite a bit and how he first got into cooking.
His story is a fun one and yes, he does talk about Hawaii. I mean, he’s lived there since 1993.
Contact Matthew:
Matthew@lovelife.com
Show:
50 Tastes of Gray
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Rob Fredette and I have a lot in common and I suppose that's why we connected. As Rob shares his story he talks about growing up with his brother playing a variety of sports and always being supported by his parents.
Music also was a big part of Rob's life and still is. As Rob considers Boston his home, we talk about some of the bands that came out of the area. We also discuss how music and sports can help make life more enjoyable.
Finally, we talk about Rob's wife and how she has been a great support to him, especially as he has made career related moves. They also share similar passions and that has helped in the almost 25 years they have been together.
We finish our discussion by talking about Rob's podcast; Hodgepod. It's a lot of fun and gives him the flexibility to explore a variety of subjects.
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Explicit Language in this episode-
Simon Yeats was born in Australia, sent to boarding school, graduated university and ended up in the United States. Not a typical upbringing, but it was an upbringing that helped Simon discover the world of travel.
As Simon relates his life experience, he talks about helping folks with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. These are often patient’s whose doctors have said would not recover yet Simon has been instrumental in several amazing recoveries.
One sad experience is Simon’s relationship with his son and the difficulties he’s had in attempting to have a relationship with him.
Once again, Simon has traveled extensively, and he recalls an experience in Hawaii that was not typical at all.
If you’d like to check out Simon’s humorous travel books, here’s the link:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Simon-Yeats/author/B0CBNQLSPW?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
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The youngest of nine children, Rulon Gardner was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. Rulon learned about hard work and determination which became core values in Rulon’s life.
As Rulon shares his story, he talks about how his upbringing has helped him deal with the adversity that has come his way. He also talks about his wrestling career which most knew little about until the 2000 Olympics and his match against one of the greatest athletes to have ever wrestled.
Though it doesn’t get as much attention as the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympicsin Upstate New York, Rulon’s Olympic match against Aleksandr Karelin of Russia in Sydney Australia is an equally impressive underdog story. Aleksandr, “The Russian Bear” was 12 lbs. at birth and a terrifyingly toned 287 pounds in his wrestling prime. He had allowed just a single point to be scored against him in the previous 10 years of competition; he hadn’t lost a match in 13.
Yeah, we talked all about what has now become known as the Miracle on the Mat during our talk story session. But Rulon also talks about other events (which include several brushes with death) that have made him who he is today.
2000 Sydney Olympic match: https://youtu.be/oVT3-wbL8HU?si=5i14CojKHNBG7k1g
Website: Rulongardner.com
Book: Never Stop Pushing
https://a.co/d/03f7dod
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Sam Mitchell hosts his own podcast, Autism Rocks and Rolls. Sam was diagnosed with autism at age 4 but as he would say, the spectrum is vast and he's been able to accomplish much. Sam started Autism Rocks and Rolls Corporation in October of 2019 at age 20. It began with a simple interest in media when he was a junior in high school and has led to him becoming an entrepreneur by creating his own Nonprofit and podcast. His nonprofit and advocacy offers public speaking, podcast coaching, podcast editing, sponsorships, ad space, merchandise, public speaking, educational supplements, guest appearances, and guest space on his podcast.
Although Sam has had obstacles in the past and still has daily struggles, he is using this platform to take away the stigma off of autism and other conditions that many think are disabilities. He often brings guests into the conversation, whether it be family members, friends, celebrities or others involved in the world of autism. He wants to prove that he is not broken and does not need to be fixed. Sam has a lot of fun along the way and really loves to entertain his audience.
Sam is a high-functioning human being on the autism spectrum, but he has a mission: to show people that he is not broken, does not need to be fixed, there is no normal in this world, and he is successful, WITH autism. Sam wants to celebrate the successes of all. He embraces who he is and feels as though everyone should do the same. His mission has caught on and this powerful and extraordinary idea is catching on and gotten the world's attention. People are differently abled, not disabled.
Sam's website:
https://autismrocksandroll.com
Mark Collins grew up in a military family which we all know means he moved a lot. For some, this would mean making new friends every few years but Mark was the quiet, loner type.
So how did he go from this quiet, loner personality to teaching life mastery? That's an interesting story. You just may see a bit of yourself in Mark's story. I know I did.
Mark's book: "LIFE MASTERY: Living life by design, not by default."
Mark's website: freedom-for-life.net
Lance Hillsinger worked in social services for 34 years. As he shares his story he talks about what he saw as a cycle for families that was difficult to break free from.
Growing up in Southern California, he was fortunate to have parents who were a good example of what a marriage should be. He talks about these early years and how this positive upbringing was so different from the majority of cases he handled as a social worker.
He wrote a book, In Place of the Parent: Inside Child Protective Services, which examines the child welfare/juvenile court system. He then wrote a second book, Build a Better Bridge: Social Policy for the 21st Century, where he goes beyond child welfare and examines social welfare programs (cash aid, food stamps, etc.) in general.
Though he thought he might become an engineer, he obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology and political science from UCLA and a master's degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University.
Dave Nordel grew up on a dairy farm in Northern California learning important life lessons. As Dave recalls his life we discuss some of these lessons which include what it means when cows lie down. (Yes, this is a tease.)
We talk quite a bit about what Dave learned on his varied assignments around the world. He took much of what he learned and founded Max Fab Consulting where he offers keynote leadership, organizational growth and strategic guidance. Max Fab was born from the challenges and adversity Dave faced during his time serving in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Drawing from his battle with PTSD, he remains deeply committed to assisting transitioning veterans and other trauma victims, guiding them toward healthier coping mechanisms.
Dave has also authored the following books:
Giving Back: Life and Leadership from the Farm to the Combat Zone and Beyond
https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Back-Leadership-Combat-Beyond-ebook/dp/B0C51SSW2B?ref_=ast_author_mpb
When the Cows Lie Down: The Reason People Quit YOU- Their "Leader"
https://www.amazon.com/When-Cows-Lie-Down-YOU-Their-ebook/dp/B0CFD7C6LQ?ref_=ast_author_dp
Living the Aloha Life is a podcast I have listened to since 2018. This is where I was introduced to Wayde Fishman.
Wayde loves Hawaii the way I love Hawaii so naturally as Wayde shares his story, we talk at length about Hawaii. We discuss what we love about Hawaii, what first attracted Wayde to Hawaii, and the reality of living in Hawaii today. We also talk about Wayde’s life prior to his move to Hawaii in 1998.
Something about Wayde that makes him different from many who profess a love of Hawaii is that Wayde has done his best to give back to Hawaii. He started 808 Cleanups back in 2012 with the intention of cleaning up Oahu. To date, they have removed over one million pounds of trash, and they have intentions of opening chapters on the other major Hawaiian Islands.
Because Hawaii is so expensive, Wayde has been working on a tiny home project that one day he hopes to take to Hawaii island, aka the Big Island. We talked about this a bit during our talk story session. We also talk about the other things Wayde has going on like his jeep tour business and brewery tour bus.
http://livingthealohalife.com/
http://808cleanups.org/
http://hawaiijeepandspecialtytours.com/
http://livingoffgridinhawaii.com/
Laura Lynch grew up in Virginia with a tight knit Christian upbringing. When her parents decided to build a home, Laura got ahold of the blueprints and found them fascinating. As she tells her story, she talks about being interested in blueprints and drawing homes in her youth.
There was time in the U.S. Air Force, college, a home purchase that went poorly but which set her on a path to pursue the interests of her youth.
Laura is the founder of The Tiny House Adviser. She is a financial planner, podcast host, and tiny house enthusiast. With her personal experience and passion for tiny living, she is dedicated to helping others find financial autonomy and make an impact through tiny living.
Laura's podcast: Less House More Moola
Richard Deming discovered music at an early age. He played drums. Like many, he thought it would be great to be in a band and play music for a living. Today Richard teaches at Yale where he also directs the creative writing program. Sometimes in life, you must take the other fork.
The fact that Richards dream of playing drums for a living didn’t pan out doesn’t mean that he didn’t excel in music, and he did play in a band, a really good band. As Richard tells his story, his interest in music is discussed, and he also talks about why he switched from music to writing. (We do discuss various music interests which is always fun.)
Richard discusses loneliness and talks about being lonely at times himself. We discuss his latest book, This Exquisite Loneliness and look at loneliness a bit differently than one might expect.
At an unprecedented rate, loneliness is moving around the globe—from self-isolating technology and political division to community decay and social fragmentation—and yet it is not a feeling to which we readily admit. It is stigmatized, freighted with shame and fear, and easy to dismiss as mere emotional neediness. But what if instead of shying away from loneliness, we embraced it as something we can learn from and as something that will draw us closer to one another? We talk about this as well.
Book: This Exquisite Loneliness https://a.co/d/bUO3tLM
Website: https://www.richarddemingbooks.com/
Often as I sit and talk story with my guest, I have such a fun, therapeutic experience that before I know it twenty, or thirty minutes have flown by. This is how it was as I visited with Utkarsh Narang.
Today, Utkarsh is a happiness coach but as he tells his story, he recalls just how his life path took him from New Delhi, India to Melbourne, Australia with a detour or two along the way.
When I say Utkarsh is a happiness coach I should say that he feels everyone needs a little happiness in life and he's just around to provide the necessary nudge to get folks on their journey.
He's a fan of the following quote from Mahatma Gandhi which I too fully embrace, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
https://www.facebook.com/ignitedneurons
Zoey Rana grew up in Southeast England in the community of Crawley. As a Muslim, she was raised with strict parents, especially a strict father. Her parents had her life all mapped out but from an early age, Zoey wasn’t interested in the life they had planned.
It took moving to another country to free herself of the religious oppression she felt in Crawley.
Zoey also has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder which she openly discusses as she tells her story. She feels she has benefitted greatly from the podcast, From Borderline to Beautiful: Hope and Help for BPD with Rose Skeeters.
Patricia Malanga was born in Africa more specifically, in Zaire which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was not a safe place and her family wanted to leave. They spent six years in a refugee camp hoping to relocate to a country that would provide a better opportunity for her parents and siblings.
As I visited with Patricia, she talked about those difficult first thirteen years of life in Africa. She talked about the culture shock it was when her family arrived in the United States and how she adjusted to her families settling in Utah with its one percent black population and Mormon majority.
Edward Di Gangi was adopted at birth in New York City. An only child, he made no effort to explore his heredity until, at age 69, a visit to a cemetery where members of his adoptive mother's family were buried stirred his interest.
The above paragraph from Edward’s website speaks to what Edward has been up to these past five or six years. We talk quite a bit about his search, and about his discoveries along the way.
Website: digangiauthor.com
Book: The Gift Best Given: A Memoir
Jacia Kornwise has a life story unlike any told here on NKYS. Before listening, I want to issue a trigger warning for those who may be affected by physical assault.
Jacia is a Master Embodied Soul Coach, Transformational Experience Facilitator, and TEDxSpeaker, with an impressive 31-year career dedicated to helping individuals, couples, and groups transform their stuck points into resilience and embodied resourcefulness. She has also taught at festivals as well as led retreats and corporate events with her skillsets. As a multiple trauma and grief survivor, Jacia has inspired her students, clients, friends, and loved ones for decades.
As we talked a bit prior to our interview and even more after, Jacia explained that she has had sensitivity and practice working with anxiety, grief, loss, trauma, health, body image, creativity, self-esteem, and motherhood, as well as being an explorer of consciousness. She specializes in somatic, trauma-informed embodied mindfulness coaching, conscious dance, 5 Rhythms and movement facilitation, breathwork, and shadow work to create life-altering experiences.
This past November, Jacia became an author and her book, The Love Ball Game: Embracing Yourself and Embodying Your Soul has already won a number of awards.
https://linktr.ee/jaciakornwise?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3F1EqrjRpUJfkCMW3-gKbkeH6sPlB4yn9dWc-dnQO0piV2vFo-5MZ0WEQ_aem_AX9jEfhIQDRGUfiWqMGfZBWGLVMglzaFxBvcA08vohKjEgQ604IOSyTbIyfP1RX9y0SIgYz0Wh6azZ1hjPzCrUw9
James Phelps was the first guest to appear on Nobody Knows Your Story. In this episode we find out what has changed in James life over the past four years. (It's a lot!) We also asked James wife Jolene to sit in and share her story.
In the April 28, 2020 episode with James he talked about leaving Mormonism. Lots of folks are doing that these days but unlike most; James and Jolene have found religion to still be an important part of their lives. So important in fact that they are making a big move to the St George, UT area to...
You'll need to listen to their episode to hear; the rest of the story. (Yeah, I always liked listening to Paul Harvey.)
Jolene has a book on Amazon you may wish to check out; especially after hearing her tell her story.
Into God's Arms
https://a.co/d/366bi0F
James website: https://www.askldsquestions.com/
Josh Coffin grew up as a pleaser. He loved the praise he received for doing what others wanted him to do. He also grew up in super conservative southeastern Idaho and as he states, "In high school 75 to 80% of the students attended Mormon seminary. I assumed the rest were just inactive Mormons." As Josh relates his life story, he recalls a happy childhood which included working a variety of jobs and checking all of the Mormon boxes including going on a two year mission to Mexico at age nineteen.
Josh is a funny dude and that's a big reason he and I enjoy conversing. We play poker together and share several interests from our take on sports to our fondness of tattoos and living authentic lives.
The last twenty minutes or so are powerful as Josh talks about how he has benefited from therapy. The therapy has helped him to better understand himself, but also helped him to be a better husband and father.
Let me start off by saying that Joe Elder tells his story in a way that I believe anyone who has battelled alcohol or drugs would find not only relatable, but inspiring.
Like many, Joe Elder has had challenges in his life. In his youth, Joe's family moved often which made it hard to make and then leave friends. But he also experienced differing ideas and views he might not have seen had he grown up in one place.
Family has always been important to Joe. As he tells his story he talks about "family life" and how choices at times were affected by family decisions. Joe also talks about how during a tough period he succumbed to alcohol and ended up an alcoholic; but how this experience helped him decide what he wanted to do with his life.
He wanted to help others.
Favorite book-
Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God
Podcast Joe hosts with Chris Wilkins-
Do Your Dailies
Confidence is Contagious is a podcast hosted by Sharon McLaughlin. It's similar to Nobody Knows Your Story as the episodes contain insightful conversations and thought-provoking discussions from women who have confidence and inspire others. Guests share personal stories of resilience, mental fitness, and leadership, providing practical advice and motivational lessons. Each episode is meant to inspire, empower, and celebrate women.
As you listen to Sharon's story and she recalls her life, there was a drive to work hard to become a doctor. Then, after achieving a respected position, she experienced burnout. Now she peaks to others about not just burnout, but how to move on.
Recovering from burnout is a gradual process that unfolds over time.
The journey toward recovery involves recognizing and acknowledging the signs and symptoms of burnout, understanding the underlying causes, and implementing sustainable changes to mitigate stressors.
Author: Thriving After Burnout
Website: sharonmclaughlinmd.com
I've had the pleasure of getting to know Maile Jewkes and her husband Jerry over the past couple of years. But in a reversal of the norm, I actually met and became friends with Maile's parents almost thirty years ago. Maile will talk about this a bit as she shares her story.
TRIGGER WARNING: Maile's story also includes a marriage where she was physically abused. If this could be triggering, you may want to skip this episode or at the very least skip this particular section which begins at the 36:00 minute mark.
As with a number of guests I've interviewed, I know Wayne Cavicchioni on a personal level. We played softball against each other for a couple of years but I noticed that Wayne was a people person. He was also an above average player. People person, softball skill level high; it's easy to see why I reached out to Wayne to play on OUR softball team. He did and we played many years together.
So back to the people person aspect. Wayne is a good hard working, blue collar dude. For the most part, he's worked for himself and when you work for yourself, you have no safety net. You are responsible for what you obtain.
Life was moving along fairly smoothly for Wayne, until it wasn't. Listen as Wayne describes how he ended up with cirrhosis of the liver as a non-drinker.
Life is all about pivoting, some might say transitioning. Mac McGregor knows all about transitioning and he talks freely about his life as a high level martial arts competitor representing the United States, as a female.
As you listen to Mac's story, you will learn that Mac knew from a very young age that he was different. Over time, he learned that there was nothing wrong with this difference he felt. Eventually, it became an opportunity to pivot and he did.
Today Mac is the founder and President of Positive Masculinity. The goal of Positive Masculinity is for heart-led masculine folks who want to create a transformative path for masculinity in our world.
Author of the book, Positive Masculinity Now
Website: https://www.positivemasculinitynow.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Positivemasc/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@positivemasculinitynow/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@positivemasculinity3458
Marc Schafler's story was a particularly fun one for me and I suspect many other boys now in men's bodies. Many of us who grew up in the 60's & 70's dreamed of playing baseball in the major leagues. Marc was a good player in his youth and he recalls some of the highlights as he tells his life story.
Hawaii has been a place Marc has visited more than once. He's actually spent time on a number of the Hawaiian islands and we talk about that a bit. But his story is one in which baseball played a huge role. It helped him educationally, and in a way with his career in real estate.
So, did he make it to the major leagues? You'll need to listen to his story to find out.
Frank Ring grew up in Palisades Park, NJ with a view of the New York City skyline. He loved sports and played both basketball and baseball. He was always into physical fitness and took to running on a regular basis.
Frank discovered the benefits of walking almost by accident. A severe back injury caused him to discontinue his habit of running and really take time off from exercise altogether. When he felt it was time to start back up, he began walking. Soon, he realized that walking was helping him reduce his weight, giving him opportunities to listen to podcasts, books on tape and enjoy his surroundings. Of course, walking is just a big part of Frank’s story.
If you want to see what Frank has to say about the benefits of walking; here’s a few links, you’ll want to check out.
From his website: https://www.walkingforhealthandfitness.com
“Walking for Health and Fitness is a health,
fitness, and wellness website, books, newsletter, and digital programs
dedicated to walking and all the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits
that come from it in order to achieve a healthy, balanced lifestyle!”
Podcast: Walking for Health and Fitness: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/walking-for-health-and-fitness/id1689142698?i=1000615839443
Book: Walking for Health and Fitness. Download the first two chapters free: https://tinyurl.com/whfchapters
Walk Around the U.S. : https://www.walkingforhealthandfitness.com/blog/my-virtual-walk-around-the-united-states
Mom's Life Lessons: https://www.walkingforhealthandfitness.com/blog/10-life-lessons-moms-life-well-lived
MISSION STATEMENT:
I live to inspire and light a fire in the hearts of others.
I want people to desire a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
~Traci Neal~When you listen to Traci tell her story, you'll soon find that there's lots of reasons for Traci to have lost her faith. You'll also find out why she didn't.
CONTACT TRACI:
Tracinealspeakerpoet.com
“I write so I can explain things to myself. That they are explained to you in the process is just as important to me, but the motivation has been intrinsic to simply trying to explain things to myself in an attempt to making some kind of sense.”
-Eric Young
I copied this statement from the forward in Eric’s book, I’m No Saint. It resonated with me for several reasons, one of which was its similarities on why I have this podcast. Sure, it gives my guests a forum to discuss their lives, but it also provides me a space to explain things to myself as I explain them through conversation with my guest, and eventually, the podcast listener.
As you listen to Eric relate his life, you won’t soon forget the first eight minutes. We all have life events that define our character, but the events that happen to some can take an individual down a never before imagined path. A life pivot so to speak. For Eric, these events were more than a simple life pivot, they were life transformational.
Books by Eric-
I’m No Saint
To Risk
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Secret Service Agent? We all think of the Secret Service protecting the President and Vice President of the United States, but they do much more. Dan Dluzneski did have security details where he protected the leaders of the United States, but he did other things too which I found to be very interesting.
As he told his life story, Dan talked about growing up on a farm in Connecticut, and the strong work ethic his father instilled in him. It wasn't until college that Dan thought about law enforcement and that was only after his dream of being a sports announcer didn't work out. He retired from the Secret Service after a twenty-four year career.
But, Dan was restless. Dan talks about his second career which was also centered around protecting others. Specifically, his second career dealt with protecting school students and his book, the First Five Minutes is helping do just that.
Bret Magpiong has a bit of a Hawaiian connection, but he grew up in Southern California. As Bret shares his life story, he talks about his family and how living in the shadow of his older brother caused a bit of a course direct.
Bret has dedicated his entire professional career either advising executives, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, and entertainers or as a C-Level executive for various firms and partnerships. We talk a bit about being alive with purpose and why life is to be enjoyed.
Across his 35+ year professional career, he has coached and mentored scores of colleagues and clients on change, growth, and enrichment of their personal and professional lives. He is a member of the International Coaching Federation.
If you'd like to find out more about Bret and what he's doing, you can reach him at connectwithbret.com.
When Shelley Perry tells her story, you'll discover that when she sets her mind to something, she sticks with it. Words like courage, mettle, or tenacity are good describers.
So how did Shelley develop these traits? Her family was involved in the restaurant business and she started working at a young age. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows there's always something to be done, and Shelley was always doing something.
Shelly talks about homeschooling her girls, a desire to live and educate on the open road (which involved taking them around the country in a motorhome), and eventually ending up in Texas. But ending up in Texas was not a part of the plan. But, it's a big part of her story.
Oh yeah, she's also the host of the LivGreater podcast.
Trang Nova had a very academic-focused upbringing In Melbourne, Australia. In addition to typical schooling, Trang had tutoring after school and attended Saturday School to learn Vietnamese as she is Vietnamese Australian.
As we discussed her life, she really didn't think her six day a week educational studies were that unusual, until she got a bit older. But, she's grateful for the hard work ethics her parents instilled in her.
Take a listen to how Trang has pivoted in recent years and what the catalyst was for this quarter life crisis.
Website: trangnova.com
The Aligned Performance Podcast
Let me start off saying that yes, Rebecca did take a slow boat to New Zealand, and it's certainly an interesting part of her story. But I'm not going to talk about it here. You'll need to listen to the episode.
But Rebecca's story is worth listening to. How did a Jewish girl from Bethlehem, PA become a law professor and author? Yep, once again, you'll need to listen to her story.
Reach out to Rebecca at, rebeccabratspies.com
Most recent book, Naming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues, & Heroes Behind New York's Place Names
I’ve thought of having Brian West tell his life story for some time. It’s not that I knew he had some unique life experiences, (which it turns out he did), but more that I knew that talking about his life would produce a few laughs. Brian has had a couple of careers, but for the past 18 years, Brian’s been a licensed residential loan consultant. That’s how I met Brian, and working with him, well that's how I came to know he’s a good dude.
If you live in AZ, here's how to reach Brian.
bwest@loandepot.com
If ever there's been an example of someone marching to their own drummer, well that would be Leslie Olpin Peterson.
As Leslie recalls her life, her story is full of twists and turns; ups and downs. From flying to Samoa at 18 on a whim, to discovering midlife a hidden talent for art, to finding out not too long ago that she... Yeah, you'll want to listen to find out, what she found out. Why? Because it wasn't just one life changing thing, but two. Two doozies!
So, just Who the F*ck is Nikki La Croce? You'll want to listen to her story to find out how life's twists and turns have put her in a space now where she can better understand herself. Once you've figured out who you are, you can do some pretty impactful things, like create a podcast.
Nikki's podcast is aimed at creating connection through vulnerable conversations about each guest’s unique story of self-discovery & the valuable lessons they've learned along the way. As we discuss Nikki's life, you'll be able to see that she is a kind, compassionate individual and better understand why she came up with the Who the F*ck? podcast.
(At the beginning of the podcast I mention the episode will contain "salty language." There's actually just four f-bombs, so I really don't consider the episode very salty. )
In my "talk story" session with Paul, we talk about his life, but also about his health related passions. Here's an excerpt from Paul's buy me a coffee linkwhich I included in the notes.
"I am a West Point graduate and Army veteran. After leaving the military in 2002, I was in poor health - 275 pounds, pre-diabetic, suffering from high blood pressure and major digestive issues, and extremely inflamed.
After trying a vegan diet for two years with minimal improvement and additional problems, I discovered what I call Ancestral Health and have never looked back.
I have been practicing Functional Nutritional Therapy and Health Coaching for over a decade and speak on a regular basis. Currently, I am working with 6 to 12 health coaching clients and have an online community of amazing members that I support. I have thousands of hours of experience connecting with others.
After a recent divorce, I refused to go back to renting an apartment or looking for a home to purchase. I DECIDED TO PURCHASE A TEARDROP TRAILER AND LIVE OFF GRID.
My mission is to travel the nation, sharing the gift of simplified nutrition, health, and LIFE by documenting my experience."
How to get in touch with Paul:
- If you'd like to schedule some time with me, visit https://superhumantransformation.com
- If you'd like to support my mission https://buymeacoffee.com/paulctijerina
- If you'd like to follow my overlanding off grid mission https://youtube.com/@operationrewild
- Here are Paul's social media and other links https://linktree.com/paulctijerina
I asked Dean Jamison to describe himself. Here's what I got back. "I'm a good natured, determined competitor who thrives on a good challenge. I busted my ass all my working life to provide for my family by working every shift possible. Now that I'm retired, it's time to have fun".
Dean is a friend of mine. He's proud of his Pennsylvania roots, and he loves his country. When sitting around after a game or practice, Dean is a contributor to the conversation, but he's one who thinks before he speaks. I can't say that about too many folks I know.
As with a number of friends I have, I met Dean through softball. Dean mentions this as it's a part of his story. I recruited him to our team and it's worked out pretty well for both Dean, and our team. When we won our division at the Tournament of Champions last February in Florida, Dean was our team MVP.
Six Things to Know About Dean:
- He loves his wife and kids
- He loves Yuengling beer
- He's a patriotic dude
- He is into softball
- He is into pinball
- He loves music
It took many years for Lois Hollis to overcome the physical and emotional pain she had dealt with. Along the way, she discovered areas surrounding shame and guilt that were unhealthy and has made overcoming "shame guilt" her main focus.
Here's information directly from her website; Loishollis.com
What is shame and what is guilt? How are shame and guilt different? The popular opinion defines shame as I am bad and guilt as I did something bad. However, these definitions do not lead a person to heal from shame and guilt. I discovered that shame and guilt act together to reinforce each other. Shame and guilt are a package. I coined the word shame guilt. Shame is in the unconscious mind, and guilt is in the conscious mind. Shame reinforces guilt, and guilt reinforces shame. We can overcome shame and guilt when we see them as a conjoined package because our minds cannot understand why shame is bad and guilt is good.
I discovered that shame guilt produces all negative emotions, including but not limited to anger, depression, anxiety, addictions, traumas, etc. Shame guilt turns our positive emotions into negative ones. The shame guilt energy causes our struggles from low confidence to suicide. Since the shame guilt negative energy is within every person in every country, causing victimhood, traumas, and increased mental illness, it deserves to have its own independent study.
I can think of no other entity than shame and guilt to be exposed to help humanity become free from their homemade shame guilt prison of not being good enough. I dedicate my resources of films, articles, podcasts, individual sessions, books, and SEO to expose shame guilt for its dangerous controlling effect upon humanity. Knowledge of tricky shame guilt is the best prevention to stop shame guilt from destroying our lives. Our lack of shame guilt knowledge and their secrecy gives shame guilt power over us, and we become victims stuck in the not good enough lie. The shame guilt is NOT normal, but common.
Today Lois is busy spreading the news that we can address shame guilt directly and heal quickly from the negativity that has kept us from a successful fulfilled life.
Growing up a bookworm allowed Collette Symborski to let her mind run free. She was studious, and got good grades, but reading was her escape. Growing up in the Sacramento, CA area, one of her first escapes happened while in high school when she became an exchange student and spent six months in Spain.
As Collette recalls her life, she talks about knowing what she wanted out of life, and why she chose the path she did. Part of what she wanted later in life, was out of Sacramento and the big city life. She got out, way out.
Life has a way of mixing things up, sometimes when you least expect it. Branch Isole was living life, but he felt there was more he could be doing. Listen as he tells his story, which includes a twelve year stint on Maui, but also why he felt his life needed a re-direct.
About Branch:
Born in Osaka, Japan Branch traveled extensively growing up calling many places home. Finishing high school at Rolling Hills, California, he went on to graduate from Texas State University, did post-graduate work at the University of Houston, and received his Oxford MA Theology degree from Trinity Bible College & Seminary.
Branch is the author of twenty-two books, multiple articles, series and essays. Writing and speaking on the power of personal responsibility or its avoidance, as relates to choice and consequence, his self-discovery themes span a wide range of reflective identity situations or scenarios every adult recognizes.
Branch is host of the popular internet interactive streaming show, "Small Change, Big Dividends" a live call-in program on the 'Bold Brave TV' network, YT, FB, LI. You can watch (and call-in) every Wednesday at 4 pm (ET) at- https://boldbravetv.com. Each show is then available on all four platforms and a variety of podcast distribution channels (Apple, Spotify, Anchor, I-Heart, etc).
I'm not sure when I first discovered the art of Wyland. It was probably one of his famous Whaling Walls that are spread around the world. Personally, I can't recall how many of the 102 I've seen, but I've seen quite a few including walls in San Francisco, Long Beach, and Laguna Beach, CA, American Samoa, Alaska, Kauai, Oahu, Orlando and Key West, FL and Victoria, BC, Canada.
I met Wyland over twenty years ago and we discovered we were born eight days apart. So being close in age and the fact that we both have such a love of the ocean, I've always appreciated his art. Wyland is probably best known for the Whaling Walls I mentioned, but he's also a conservationist. The Whaling Walls besides being beautiful pieces of art also call attention to the plight of whales throughout the world.
You can find much more about Wyland by checking out his website, Wyland.com.
As we close out season three here on Nobody Knows Your Story, my final guest is Brian Beckcom. This was a positive experience for me and once again, I spent an hour doing something I really enjoy... talking.
Brian is one driven individual. He lost his Mother to breast cancer when he was ten, and though his Mother's passing forever changed him, it also motivated him. As we talked, he shared how this event so early in his life helped drive him to succeed. To succeed on the basketball court, in the court of law, and for the past few years, as he's competitively participated in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
I've often said that when I conduct my podcast interviews, that when the "talk story" session is over, I feel like I've just made a new friend. As you listen to Brian share his life story, I think you'll understand why I feel the way I do. Brian cares about people, so naturally I'm going to be a fan. He also likes to have fun, loves Maui, is into physical and mental fitness, he's a Dad, a husband, and enjoys mathematics. Mathematics? Well, I didn't say we agreed on everything.
Take a listen to Brian's story and you too will see why Brian is such an outgoing, likable guy. Oh yeah, a damn good trial lawyer too.
Brian is the host of "Lessons from Leaders," a podcast that features military combat veterans, sports stars, judges, coaches, spiritual leaders, and more.
Brianbeckcom.org
In this episode of the Nobody Knows Your Story podcast, I talk with Sean Robinson. We discuss his life, his family situation, but our conversation drifts to what Sean has been doing the past couple of years.
When COVID-19 shut down Canada and countries worldwide, Sean experienced a dark year. You see, Sean didn't like the way things were going for him. He'd gained a lot of weight, he found himself more irritable, and he felt that alcohol was at the root of his problems. But at the beginning of 2021, he decided to make a change.
In Going Dry: My Path to Overcoming Habitual Drinking, Sean tells his story of choosing, one day and one month at a time, to carve a new lifestyle for himself. Despite growing up in a home where drinking was a normal part of life and being surrounded by constant social pressure to drink, Sean surprised himself and those around him.
I think listeners will appreciate Sean's story because Sean's story will be relatable to many. At least the part where alcohol has become a bit of a problem.
Sean's contacts:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY67tZFEb2P051GhUDW_mQg
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086376760527
https://www.instagram.com/going.dry/
https://seanrobinson.ca/
Judy and I have had the pleasure of getting to know Melissa and Sam Zitting Wyson family over the past year. They agreed to share their story on my podcast, and recently stopped over for a visit. Judy spent two hours playing games and keeping the kids involved, so I want to recognize Judy for her contribution to this Nobody Knows Your Story episode.
Hildale, Utah, along with Colorado City, Arizona, make up the onetime FLDS stronghold known as Short Creek. This is where Sam Zitting Wyson grew up. His wife Melissa grew up about 45 miles to the west in St George, Utah as a member of the mainstream LDS or Mormon faith. They talk about their upbringings, (which not only includes Sam's departure from polygamy, but also his conversion to the LDS faith), the similarities of their two faiths, and how they both eventually felt a call to not just share Sam's story of polygamy, but to also help those who may have questions. This is when they started their YouTube channel, Growing Up In Polygamy. They have tens of thousands of followers who can't get enough of what Melissa and Sam have to say.
After listening to Melissa and Sam share their stories, I'm guessing many of you will be following Growing Up In Polygamy as well.
I asked Rob Dubin to tell his story because I thought it was a pretty bold move to retire at 42 and along with wife Dee, sell their home, and move onto a 40’ sailboat. Oh but there's more. For the next 17 years, Rob and Dee sailed around the world studying human happiness and fulfillment. Today Rob gives back by teaching courses in employee happiness which increase engagement, reduce resignations and combat quiet quitting.
So yeah, this much I knew prior to our interview. What I didn't know, was what prompted this rather drastic life change. Let me just say, it involves a personal phone call from the President of the United States.
Robdubin.com/resources
That's right. Ivana and I connected when I was looking for a rental for my men's softball team, and of course we mention this factoid in our discussion of Ivana's life.
Ivana's life is much more interesting than this little side note. Civil war drove her from her home in Serbia, to Toronto, Canada and a new career. But, it's Ivana's love of travel that she passionately talk's about. It's a big part of her story and it's what led her to purchase the aforementioned rental property I and my teammates stayed in.
Becki Agar appeared on my podcast January 4th, 2023 as part of the Team Agar episode where I spoke with Becki's husband Jeff and son Johnny. In the behind the scene arrangements of that episode, I got to know Becki's own story and knew that you listeners would be impacted in a positive way by what she had to share.
As we talked about Becki's life, we touched on The Impossible Mile, a book she co-wrote with Johnny. Here's an excerpt from the "about the author" section.
- Becki Agar is an advocate, philanthropist, and mother of three children. After Becki began a career as a credit analyst, her passion for children led her to open a day care. When she had children of her own, she closed the day care to raise them, an experience that has been the greatest blessing of her life.
- Becki fundraises and advocates for organizations that have been instrumental in helping children who have special needs to be as independent as possible on their journeys through life. She graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in sociology and a minor in psychology.
The Impossible Mile is Johnny and Becki's first book, but, it may not be their last. You want to hear more about that, you'll need to listen to the podcast. :)
Kim Norman grew up In the small town of Moab, UT where she did just about anything she wanted at Grand County High School. She went out for the football team as a freshman, but decided track and field, tennis, basketball, volleyball, and playing trombone in the marching band was more to her liking.
Robert Norman, Kim's father was a renowned geologist and as Kim recalls her story, she talks about how she too fell in love with the outdoors, riding horses, and exploring the caves and canyon's around her home.
While attending college at Utah State University, it became evident to her that she lacked the skills to be a Division I volleyball player, but, it was at Utah State that she became a graduate assistant volleyball coach. Later, she became the head coach of the USU men's club volleyball team. Thus began a thirty plus year volleyball coaching career that has taken Kim around the world.
Listen as Kim recalls her life experience and what her plans are for the future. We also discuss her new book, Our Souls Journey.
You can reach out to Kim at; kimnormanspeaks.com
As a young man, Isaac Mathews always wanted to do the right thing. Raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints aka Mormon, in a very Mormon St George, UT, Isaac wanted nothing more than to please his parents, his teachers, his friends, and his church leaders. He was all in as a people pleaser.
Isaac ended up serving a two year Mormon mission, was married in the temple, and was a Mormon bishop while in his early thirties. But Isaac's story was about to change.
TRIGGER WARNING:
Isaac's story, though tastefully and factually told, may be unsettling if you are an active member of the Mormon faith. You may want to skip this episode. Or, maybe not.
Isaac's contact information:
- You Tube Channel - World View Connections
- E Mail - izzymusic50@yahoo.com
Michigan is a long way from the island of Maui, but Michigan is where Sherrie Stinger's story began. There was a move to Arizona, actually to Gilbert where Sherrie attended high school. But after high school, she followed her high school sweetheart to Hawaii, and has been there ever since; over thirty three years.
I met Sherrie when I was doing real estate on Maui. Right away we discovered we had both lived in Gilbert, and actually had a mutual friend or two. Sherrie's story is great because she tells of family struggles, health struggles, and the struggle to create a life, and raise a family on Maui.
Like many of you, I first became aware of Johnny and Jeff Agar through a story I'd seen on TV. I'm guessing that those of you who saw a TV piece also wanted to know more about "Team Agar".
You're welcome.
"Johnny Agar is a true inspiration as a person and an athlete. Where most might see nothing but obstacles, he sees nothing but opportunities. Johnny's commitment to pursuing his dreams and sharing his journey along the way is a tremendous gift to us all."
-MICHAEL PHELPS, Olympic Gold Medal Winner
Most of us need something to motivate us. Quite often, seeing what others have done can be just the thing we need to get us going. Johnny was born with cerebral palsy and doctors thought he would never walk. But, the power in living life one step at a time has allowed Johnny to participate in long-distance endurance races with his dad Jeff pushing him, until the final mile when he walks across the finish line.
You're going to be inspired, motivated, and deeply touched as you listen to the Agar's tell their story.
(I really had fun talking with Johnny, Jeff and Becki. I'm looking forward to hearing Becki's story in the future.)
- Teamagar.com
- Johnnyagar.com
- The Impossible Mile - The Power in Living Life One Step at a Time
Melanie Merrill grew up in Evanston, WY in what many would call difficult circumstances. As a child her parents divorced, and her grandparents became key figures in her life. This doesn't mean Melanie's parents weren't part of her life, but
the combination of divorce, a mother who was gone a lot and shuffling between homes certainly impacted Melanie and no doubt influenced her life choices.
As Melanie talked about her life, she discussed relationships that have changed her, and challenged her as well. Life is full of ups and downs and like most people, Melanie has experienced both. But, as she talked about meeting her husband Wayne, and how happy she has been in this relationship, it's clear to see that she's in a good place.
Ken Negron has been in the United States Air Force for seventeen years and as one might imagine, he's been all over the world. I had a chance to visit with Ken on Veterans Day, November 11th. Ken talked about growing up as the child in a military family and how that meant constant moving around, which meant constant goodbyes to friends. He also explains how he arrived at the decision to join the Air Force, and I'll just say, he didn't go the typical route.
If ever there was an individual who could be defined by the term, renaissance man, it would be Vardell Curtis, because he is indeed a person with many talents and areas of knowledge.
As we sat in my home studio and Vardell told his life story, it was easy to see why Vardell has many friends. It’s not simply his love of life, family, Harley’s, softball, music, side-by-sides, real estate, and his religion; he’s just a good dude.
Take the time to listen to Vardell’s story and you’ll see how family, faith and friends helped mold Vardell into the man he is today.
I knew my time to talk story with Kalehua Krug needed to fit into a tight window. We had arranged a Zoom meeting at 1:30 in the afternoon as Kalehua is the principal of Ka Waihona o ka Na’auao, a Hawaiian charter school and thus, one busy dude. Though our actual time discussing his life story would be brief; I knew I would have plenty of music to include as my first introduction to Kalehua came from the band Hi’ikua. The band had released Ala I Hi’ialo in 2011 and Kalehua was one of its three members. Though he’s a pretty good-sized guy, (was a lineman on the University of Hawaii football team), he has a beautiful falsetto voice which you hear clearly in their music. I think it’s important to point out that Kalehua composed the songs we will hear today with the exception of Ka Pili Oha. I’m including the cover picture from Ala I Hi’ialo because when I first held this CD, I was moved by the picture of a tattooed Kalehua holding his son Ka’ula. As Kalehua tells his story, he explains why the tattoos are such an important piece of who he is.
Kalehua is an advocate for the promotion of the Hawaiian language and teaching young children culture and language. He believes a well-balanced understanding of the world these children live in needs to be balanced with the contextual history they come from.
Music has always been important to Kalehua. On occasion he still plays with Hi’ikua, but throughout his career, he’s always sung songs with his children. In the past year or two, they have taken this love of singing together to another level and now perform as Ohana Krug. I have included one of their songs, Ola I Ka Wai which is about connecting with and loving the land.
When Dennis "Wowie" Rosales talked about bodybuilding and pretty much being on a diet for thirty years, well it just blew my mind. The dedication to living a healthy lifestyle in a world of fast food is commendable, but Wowie wanted to be a competitive bodybuilder and that's what it took.
As Wowie talks of growing up in Gallup, NM and joining the Navy right out of high school, he mentions regrets (like not staying in the Navy), but also his accomplishments (wonderful wife and kids, successful businesses, staying in great shape) that have come to him on his life journey.
Jonathan Living Seagull was a 1970 book with a theme centered around a spirit of self-determination through transcendence of the body and discovery of the limitless nature of mind and spirit.
Jonathan, a seagull who was bored with daily life and squabbles for food, became passionate for flight, and pushed himself to learn everything he could about flying. As he was determined to chart his own path, his increasing unwillingness resulted in his expulsion from the flock.
In this episode of the Nobody Knows Your Story podcast, Melissa Hamlet tells her story and it’s a story of an unwillingness to conform. “At the time I read Jonathan Living Seagull had an impact on me, but I didn’t realize its full impact until much later in my professional life.”
Melissa’s work ethic was formed by working in her parent’s country store. She stocked shelves, waited on customers, and learned a lot about people. The experience taught her a lot about marketing, sales, and responsibility and most importantly, how to work with others.
These became valuable tools in Melissa’s work career, a career that’s allowed her, like Jonathan; to chart her own path.
Growing up in the Southern part of the United States, Sam Smith wanted to get into radio. For a while, he kind of did. But as many do as they age; life takes them down different roads.
With his radio days behind him, Sam's road took him to Arizona, and he got into the airline industry, a relocation to Alaska and eventually a job with the FAA as an Air Traffic Controller. As my wife worked with Sam in the airline industry, I thought I knew about the "goings on," but I learned quite a bit as Sam told his story.
As Sam recalls his life, he talks about these events, lessons learned, and hobbies like axe throwing and travel. Part of that travel would include a couple of trips to Hawaii.
Having to make over one thousand phone calls in 18 months to social services and various community organizations will humble anyone. But Agape Garcia was persistent.
As a single mother, a thousand miles from home with zero family and friends, Agape had one thought that drove her when everything around her was falling apart. That one thing, her daughter. Agape was determined her daughter would grow up in an environment different than the one she had.
Listen in as Agape recalls the steps she undertook to create a better life for her small family.
Website: Beyourincredibleself.com
Yo Kenny!
Ken Cardita was born in the Bronx, NY into a devout Catholic home. In this episode, Ken describes his time in the Bronx as a time when it was safe to play in the streets, walk the neighborhood without fear, and hang with friends until the inevitable call of “come to dinner”.
Though he was an altar boy, attended Catholic schools, and even had weekly home spaghetti dinners with the family Priest; when he hit his teen years, he began to question his family religion. This led to a change of religious views later.
His passion from a young age was music, specifically playing guitar. This passion spilled over into playing in several bands throughout his teens, and sporadically throughout his adult years even to this day.
Ken recalls meeting wife Shanna, and their forty-two years together which includes a move out west and eventually raising their five children in Gilbert, AZ. He also discusses how Shanna has gracefully dealt with Alzheimer’s for the past eleven years. Through this shared experience, Ken felt prompted to help others who might be dealing with Alzheimer’s and recently began the Surviving Alzheimer’s Podcast.
Note: Shanna and Kenny have been good friends of Judy and I for more than thirty years. This will be evident as Kenny and I discuss his life, and I’m grateful for him agreeing to share his story with you, my Nobody Knows Your Story listeners.
Contact Ken:
Ken@ascending-minds.com
The Surviving Alzheimer’s Podcast
Facebook.com/SurvivingAlzPodcast
From cult victim to advocate, Briell Decker re-wrote the story of her life. She grew up in a Fundamentalist Mormon sect (FLDS) in a family with 14 children and two mothers. She became the 65th wife of the prophet Warren Jeffs. After years of abuse and torment from Jeffs and his followers, Briell escaped by climbing out of a window and running barefoot to safety. After escaping the FLDS, she applied and was granted Warren Jeffs 28,000 sq foot home in Colorado City, AZ where she once lived as a wife.
Briell and husband Stevan stopped by my home studio this past week, August 2022. We talked about Briell’s life, and she recalled some of the traumatic events she encountered while a part of the FLDS. We also talked about the visit to Hawaii she and Stevan were able to take in 2021.
This episode will be impactful. Some may have desired more detail on various aspects of Briell’s life, but this was her story and she talked about things that she was comfortable discussing. For the most part, we kept things light and shared several laughs. But make no mistake, Briell; through her example, continues to inspire everyone, showing that anything is possible in life. She’s created hope, and refuge for other women and children leaving the FLDS.
You can follow what’s going on with Briell by visiting her website: Brielldecker.com
It's always fun to make a new friend and that's what Dave Klaproth is to me now, a friend. Dave's story is one not unlike many that have been shared on my podcast. Good times, times of difficulty but overall; a wonderful life journey.
From Dave's website:
As a merchant marine officer for more than 30 years, I have been fortunate to live a life of adventure. From sailing around the world, to living in faraway places like Hawaii, Japan and the Virgin Islands.
That life that I truly enjoyed though, suddenly took a turn in another direction. I was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors gave me months to live. Well, my attitude has always been carefree and easy going so I stayed as positive as I could and took the fight to my cancer.
During my treatment, things were mentally tough and between the pain and depression, my doctor recommended a hypnotherapist to me. That was the start of a life changing event. After a few sessions, the pain and depression became nearly non-existent. I credit my recovery to my family, friends and hypnotherapy. The power of positive thought and the feeling I had after hypnotherapy continued to help drive my recovery. I was amazed by that feeling and I remember saying to my doctor, "the hypnotherapy was amazing! Why isn't everyone doing this?!"
Spend an hour listening to Dave's story and I guarantee you too will feel like you have made a new friend. I just love positive people.
Dave's contact information is below.
David Klaproth, CHt
dave@klaprothhypnotherapy.com
www.TheHypnotherapySolution.com
USA: 512-221-2299
Japan: 080-4356-2320 via WhatsApp
Facebook: @KlaprothHypnotherapy
Instagram: klaprothhypnotherapy
Blog: www.thehypnotherapysolution.com/blog-1
Scheduling Page: www.thehypnotherapysolution.com/daves-schedule
Un-con-trol-la-ble definition… Christine Herbert😊
As Christine and I talked, it became clear that she and I are very different. I like being in control, Christine, yeah; not so much.
Because of her personality, Christine has had quite a few extraordinary experiences, like spending twenty-seven months as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia. Or managing a non-profit in Nepal. After thinking about it, maybe we’re not that different. I did deliver Amazon for awhile.
Christine’s interview was fun and there’s a number of “life events” that we shared a laugh over. Her college experience was, well different. Great education, but no dancing. She got a degree in biology, but her career was mostly spent as a massage therapist. She talks about that too.
But a big part of her story was her Peace Corps experience. She recalls her Zambia time in her new book, “The Color of the Elephant”. She explains the title and it does not have anything to do with an elephant encounter.
Connect:
Christineherbertauthor.com
As I met with Shane and listened to his life story, I was struck by his resilience and how he reacted to the life experiences he encountered.
Like many, Shane spent much of his life searching for meaning, for answers. There were times he thought he had found the answers to his questions, but eventually concluded his questions were only partially answered. Or just maybe these partial answers brought about new questions.
So where did Shane's questions take him? Well, that's part of his story because over time, he knew that he needed to question everything, and when you question everything, you eventually question the unquestionable. So, has Shane found the answers that eluded him again and again? Listen in and find out.
Marijuana. Many use it daily and it's becoming more and more acceptable, BUT, for Anze Tominsek, it became a problem.
In my interview with Anze, we talk about his upbringing in Slovenia, his move to the UK, a brief job in America, a move back to the UK, and how he ended up in Spain. Of course, there was a lot that went on and we talk about these things, as well as his relationship with marijuana and how he decided he needed to end his weed habit.
We also talk about what he's doing today to help others who too have had, or are having a problem with marijuana.
In this episode of Nobody Knows Your Story I visit with Tess Scott. Here is a brief bio from her Amazon book page which gives a pretty good introduction.
Tess Scott, former black sheep turned “Jesus Girl” is mom of 8 boys and spunky “Grami with a heart above the i” to a whole slew of adorable grandkids. She began the Listen Sister- Encouragement for Women ministry in 2020 where you can find her blog posts at tessscott.com and her Listen, Sister pages on Facebook and Instagram. She continues to live her life of hilariously awkward moments in Sarnia Ontario to the ongoing embarrassment of her family.As you listen to Tess discuss her life, she does include a few hilariously awkward moments. We also discuss her new book, Listen Sister! FINDING HOPE IN THE FREAKSHOW OF LIFE
Welcome to season three of Nobody Knows Your Story. In episode one, I talk with Jeremy Runnells who shares his life story which contains some great Hawaiian memories. He actually sent me a list of three of his favorite Hawaiian songs by the great Maui singer and chanter, Keali'i Reichel and as luck would have it, I had all three.
Jeremy's story is unique in several ways, but most certainly because of Jeremy's issue with hearing. He talks about gradually losing his hearing around age three, getting hearing aids around age five, and eventually cochlear implants in his twenties.
We discuss what it's like to have to question issues we thought were unquestionable, and the importance of being kind and understanding of the problems everyone has to deal with. Jeremy also talks about the love he has for his family and of course, we talk about Hawaii and what the aloha spirit means to us.
From Romania to Canada, Andrea Petrut has lived an interesting life. Her first eight years of life were lived under Communism, yet she said her life was good. Here's how she describes her life now.
"Impossible is just a word for me and I'm where I am because of the mindset I chose to have and feed since I was little. I had two amazing role models, my maternal grandmother and my mother, wild resilient women. Yet, this hasn't released me nor protected me from having suicidal thoughts, divorce, behaving like I never wanted to but couldn't help because of too much stress, endure humiliation and anything that came my way. I've learnt many things on my own and I trained myself and with others to be of service to others I can fully understand
mentally, emotionally, spiritually."
We talk about Andrea's life, and about a book she's working on and her podcast, "Healing Through Oneness".
This is the final episode of season 2.
Clarissa Burt is an internationally acclaimed award-winning media personality/producer/director, writer, author, public speaker and former supermodel and winner of the Celebrity Survivor show! With hundreds of television and film credits to her name, this “Who’s Who” of International and American Women brings over 35 years of entertainment industry experience in both International and American markets.
Clarissa is the Founder and CEO of In the Limelight Media, a multi-media platform consisting of TV/video, a podcast and a digital magazine, and she recently came out with a new book, The Self-Esteem Regime.
Clarissa has graced the cover of over 250 fashion and beauty magazines and has walked the runway for many major international clothing designers. She worked as a television personality in Italy where she lived for 30 years.
*Among her many film portrayals, Clarissa can be remembered in the award-winning Warner Brothers release, The Neverending Story II where she played the mean queen, Xayide.
You could say Clarissa has led a pretty interesting life and, in the podcast, today, she tells her story. And yes, that's Clarissa on all of those magazine covers.*
Daniel Sih not only has had some great life experiences, but he's also made a conscious decision to "share his life". Listen to his story and find out just exactly how he made this decision and just exactly what he's sharing.
Amy (Field) Misbach grew up in Issaquah, WA with three brothers and two sisters. She had a very normal upbringing until age eleven when she started feeling pain in her joints. From that time until now, Amy's life has been punctuated by repeated hospital visits and a myriad of health issues.
As Amy recalls her life, a central theme is one of family support and love. Amy has an optimistic approach to life and though she has had dark days, she has always rebounded and tackled whatever challenge has come her way.
The story Amy shares though difficult at times to recall, is indeed one of resilience as Amy has chosen to not dwell on the cant's but focus on the cans.
"I've never met a strong person with an easy past."
ATTICUS
Next month, Nobody Knows Your Storyhits the two-year mark. From pretty much the moment I started this podcast, I’ve been asked when I was going to talk more about why Hawaii is such a big part of my story.
This episode is me talking about why I feel the way I do about all things Hawaiian. If you’ve been a listener of this podcast, you know that my story will include some mele, (music) from some of my favorite Hawaiian artists.
As I get asked from time to time about who does a particular song, I’m listing the songs contained in this podcast at the bottom of my episode notes.
In my 2017 memoir, Nobody Knows, They Just Want You to Think They Do; I talk a bit about Hawaii. In my updated 2019 edition, I include an entire “bonus” chapter related to Hawaii. This bonus chapter, “Everything You Wanted to Know About Hawaii and Then Some” isn’t so much about my feelings related to Hawaii, but more of a history lesson. I do however take a bit of my Hawaii story from the pages of my book.
Songs Included in this Episode:
Highway In the Sun by Cecilio & Kapono
Rhythm of the Ocean (Live version) by the Hawaiian Style Band
Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai by Hapa
E Komo Mai by the Barefoot Natives
According to the American Heart Association, 50,000 Black women die from heart disease every year. Barbara Pamplin was nearly one of them. In the fall of 2017, Barbara survived an aortic dissection (which is 99% fatal), 3 open heart surgeries, and 3 deaths and resuscitations. The road that led her to the operating room, and nearly the morgue, was paved with inter-generational trauma from the effects of slavery and racial stereotypes. Fueled by gratitude and joy for living, Barbara decided to go beyond surviving to use her experience to help others through inspiration, storytelling, and education. As part of that process, she wrote a memoir and self-help book, From Fat, Black, and Unlovable to Beautiful Powerful Love. In this work, Barbara writes about her experiences, and documents the many behaviors and toxic beliefs that formed in her youth and persisted throughout her life. Her story is as remarkable and unique as it is familiar to many Black women.
Want to find out more about Barbara, go to her website; BeautifulPowerfulLove.com
Terry McMullen has always been a thinker. He's also been someone who questions things he doesn't understand, or better still; that doesn't make sense. Yeah, we got along great!
Long Island, NY is where Terry grew up and he talks about growing up with parents who valued safety and security. So not too many trips into the city. But Terry did leave the comfort of home to attend college, and to put himself in position to do the things he's now doing; and about to do.
Terry hosts his own podcast, "What's the Value?"
On September 15, 2012, Jennifer Weisman's life changed, forever. On the fast track to startup success, a car speeding through a crosswalk jeopardized everything she’d built in a split second.
Constantly battling life-altering trauma, PTSD, a traumatic brain injury, and the cutthroat fashion industry, the Just Bones Boardwear founder refused to let the accident define her and steal her identity.
As Jennifer talks about her growing up in Florida, and meeting husband Russell, she also tells how she went from being a stay-at-home Mom of twin boys, to starting her own business.
Art Bell explains how growing up on the East Coast in the 50's and 60's had an impact on his comedy style. It's not a stretch to imagine Art as a class clown, and in this episode, he explains how "honing his comedy style" as a class clown and jokester, was a great assist later as he developed 24-hour comedy.
Art is a former media executivebest known for creating and building HBO's The Comedy Channel, which went on to become Comedy Central. After Comedy Central, he became the president of Court TV and was the guiding force behind one of the most successful brand evolutions in cable television.
Constant Comedy is a book Art wrote that mixes humor, with nostalgia and the sort of insider view that make show biz memoirs so fun. Through the ups and downs of the experience, including an unceremonious firing at the end of his Comedy Central tenure, Art offers detailed accounts of conversations while also adding observations gained from two decades of perspective.
My advice, listen now, and read Constant Comedy later, but take the time to hear the life story of Art Bell.
Art's Website Link
https://www.artbellwriter.com/
Art's Amazon Link
https://www.amazon.com/Constant-Comedy-Started-Central-Sense/dp/1646040899/ref=sr_1_1?
Steve Yacovelli had a goal of working for Disney. As he recalls his life during our podcast interview, he talks about achieving this goal, a couple of times. When you call yourself “The Gay Leadership Dude” you’re letting the world know that you are very comfortable being Gay, and that you are a leader.
With over twenty-five years’ experience in leadership, strategy, organizational learning, and communication, Steve is a rare breed of professional that understands the power of using academic theory and applying it to the corporate setting to achieve business results.
Steve’s story is unique, interesting, and an example of how a positive person can impact others in a positive way. Steve lives with his husband Rich and dogs Ella and Russel in Orlando, FL.
Melissa Lyon West has a supportive husband and together they are raising four children. To call her life today typical would be a compliment, considering her first thirty years of life.
Melissa was raised in a cult like environment in Maryland. No music, strict clothing rules, no dancing, no dating, home schooled, and her father was the Pastor of their small fundamental Baptist group. The men were in charge, the women married young, had children right away, and were homemakers. The men and women in their religious group each had well defined roles, but Melissa found herself struggling with the role she was supposed to live. She suffered alone because admitting she had problems meant something was wrong with her.
Melissa tells her story of desiring another life, a life where she had a say in life's decisions. Listen as she tells of breaking free and learning to accept her new role AND how she found her soul's calling. She help's others who may be struggling with fear to unlock a life of freedom and authenticity.
Rob Olson has been one of the Country’s top auctioneers for many years, but he would tell you being a husband and father is what he’s most proud of. Being a grandfather is another source of pride for Rob and since we recorded this interview ten days ago, Rob and wife Cynthia welcomed grandchild number ten to their family.
Though Rob has had an accomplished career in business, if I'm being honest, I asked him to be on my podcast because quite simply, he’s been a great friend since we were in high school. You listeners will hear a few of our exploits during this “talk story” session, but there are many we left out. For example, we didn’t even talk about the time in 2002 Rob called me up and suggested we go to the California Angels / San Francisco Giants World Series game. We went, and it was a blast!
Take the time to listen to the life story of Rob Olson, and you’ll better understand why we’ve been friends for fifty years.
In this episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, I visit with Hawaiian music legend, Henry Kapono. We talk about his early years growing up in the shadows of Honolulu, developing a love of music from a church choir and playing lots of sports. But Henry really grew up during a two-year stint in Southeast Asia entertaining the troops playing in a rock band. There's nothing quite like playing on a base in Vietnam with rockets going off, that won't change the way you view life.
I'm excited to introduce my listeners to Henry's music, and I've included several of his songs in this episode. If you've spent time in Hawaii, it would be hard to not have heard Henry's music as his career has spanned close to fifty years. Henry first found success as a part of the popular duo Cecilio & Kapono, and later with a successful solo career that has produced 21 albums. Actually, make that 22 as a new compilation CD, “HENRY’S POSITIVE WORLD” comes out today, November 24, 2021. You can check it out, and all of Henry’s music at Henrykapono.com.
(I snuck in a favorite of mine Na Makua from Henry's album the Wild Hawaiian at the end of the podcast.)
Terry Tucker really has reinvented himself over and over again throughout his life. He grew up in a family of athletes (which we talk about a bit), and at 6'8", Terry loved basketball. He earned a scholarship to college because of his basketball skills, but mostly worked in the corporate world.
In 2012, Terry encountered his greatest challenge as he was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer. To say Terry has battled cancer since his diagnosis really wouldn't do him justice, unless he was to explain just exactly what these battles were. Well, he does as he talks about his life on this episode of, Nobody Knows Your Story.
* Father & Husband.
SWAT Hostage Negotiator.
Girls high school basketball coach.
Played against Michael Jordan in college.
Four truths to guide his decisions in life. We discuss.
This is part two of Ron Misbach's life story and I highly recommend listening to part one first.
In part two, Ron describes taking his telemarketing experience to a new level and how that made him feel about himself. He was pretty down on himself and really not sure what his next move might be when he received a phone call that would set his life on a new course.
Life is full of change, and Ron's story is a great example of how one can make positive change at just about any point, if you have the desire.
You know how parents have a tendency to relax a bit with each new child? Well, Ron Misbach was the ninth of nine children, and his parents were, well pretty much done with rules and regulations when he entered the picture.
Ron took full advantage of the freedom he had. Often, he used this freedom to do things his parents wouldn’t approve of but, they were usually unaware of what Ron was doing. When they were made aware, it was typically a phone call from the local police.
In part one of Ron’s life story, he tells of living his life in opposition to the way he was raised in a devout, Mormon home. His decisions had consequences, and these consequences often ended up with Ron being on the wrong side of the law.
Although he may have graduated from the school of hard knocks, lessons were learned.
Everybody has a story, and I invite you to spend an hour or so and listen to the life story of Ron Misbach; the first half anyway.
Adversity, Merrie Campbell-Lee has had her share.
Everyone experiences adversity, right? There have been times when we’ve all probably felt that we were getting a larger dose than we wanted. I mean, a little adversity makes us stronger. “There is no education like adversity.” “Adversity is the first path to truth.” “Turning feelings into words can help us process and overcome adversity.”
Merrie is a writer. She turns feelings into words, and she writes every day. Often, she writes about the unpleasant things she must deal with, her latest battle with that old foe, adversity. Fortunately, Merrie has many good things that make it into her daily writings as well.
In this episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, Merrie shares her life story in a series of mini stories, small chapters that have made her into the person she is today. And yes, we talk about adversity.
In life we all experience grief. Much of the time we feel alone in our grief, and we don’t know where to get help. Emily Thiroux Threatt experienced this, twice. First, when her husband, Jacques died, and she felt so lost. Then, when her husband Ron died, grieving was still tough, but she was so much better prepared. Now, she is helping others deal with their grief.
In this episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, Emily discusses not only her life story, but also ways that will help others transform from being lost and alone, into being joyful and prepared to keep moving forward in life, after they've experienced grief.
Emily is a Grief Transformation Expert and holds a Master’s Degree in English with a Concentration in Writing. She has been teaching writing and composition on the college and university level over 30 years.
Another way Emily assists folks dealing with grief, is through her book, "Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief" and you can check out her blog at; lovingandlivingyourwaythroughgrief.com/blog/
Jeff Belanger is a paranormal guy. He writes about the supernatural, ghosts, and legends for television, in books, and in public lectures, and he sometimes hosts events where he goes to a historical place to raise money for the preservation of the location and allow the public to come in, and hunt for ghosts.
Jeff is a natural storyteller and during our “talk story” session we do discuss some interesting stories. As the author of over a dozen books, we also take some time and discuss his most recent book, “The Call of Kilimanjaro, Finding Hope Above the Clouds”. Jeff recalls why he decided to take on Africa’s highest point, (19,341 ft) and how the experience forever changed him. As Zen Master Futomaki wrote: “One does not climb to attain enlightenment; rather, one climbs because he is enlightened.”
Enjoy the life story of Jeff Belanger.
I've known Ray Keating for over twenty years, and in this episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, we talk about what's been important in Ray's life.
He talks about growing up in Chicago, and how being an alter boy taught him valuable lessons that he utilized throughout his work career, and life. Ray shares his views on the importance of volunteerism and how it's the responsibility of adults, to pass life lessons on to the youth.
We take a couple of minutes and talk about Hawaii and a couple trips Ray has taken to Maui.
So sit back and enjoy hearing the life story of Ray Keating.
In 2015, Darrin Schenck was involved in a head on crash with a drunk driver. He survived. As one might expect, Darrin’s life is different today because of this experience and he talks about this as he shares his life story.
He also talks about his life before the crash, which includes being a professional racquetball player. He shares his story of deciding at age 15 that he wanted to be a pro racquetball player and recalls some of the events that culminated with him being ranked as high as 18th in the world of professional racquetball. Oh yeah, we talk quite a bit about how Darrin developed life skills from his years of playing racquetball and his 14 years of coaching the Arizona State University racquetballers.
Born in Cuba during the dictatorship of Fidel Castro, Christian de la Huerta emigrated to the United States at the age of ten. A new country, a new language and a secret he kept deep inside.
Take the time to listen as Christian talks about how his Catholic upbringing played a big part in his long journey from self-hatred to self-acceptance.
Christian is now an award winning author and sought after speaker. His book, "Awakening the Soul of Power", help's address life's difficult questions by focusing on the power of truth and authenticity.
You can find out more about Christian at: SoulfulPower.com
Miriam Trahan grew up in Louisiana of Cajun French ancestry. She tells her story in today’s Nobody Knows Your Story episode. She tells of growing up in the primarily Catholic city of Lafayette with eight siblings and how this certainly influenced her in later years. She moved around quite a bit which she talks about, but just how did she end up living on the island of Maui? (You’ll need to listen in to find out.)
One of the things that intrigued me about Miriam was that she is really into meditation; I mean REALLY INTO MEDITATION. Years ago, I discovered a type of meditation through walking, and I wanted to see how my “mind clearing walks” stacked up against what Miriam teaches.
Here’s what Miriam says in an excerpt from her Miriam’s Meditations website.
“When I was a young adult, I realized my path would include explorations into spirituality and consciousness. From 1995-2005 I was fortunate to study pranayama with an advanced breath master, Swami Santiananda, who taught PranaVayu Breath Practice. I attained Levels 1 and 2 with this study. I also earned a 200-hour yoga teaching certification in 2000. My current field of study since 2005 is Light Body, as taught by Duane Packer of Luminessence.”
Miriam’s Meditations podcast began as a way to share online the breath and meditation classes that I had been teaching here on the island of Maui. Sharing the beauty and blessings of our magical home is an integral part of the meditation journeys.
So spend an hour and listen to Miriam’s interesting life story and expand your knowledge and understanding related to meditation. I mean, "Who are you when you're not thinking?"
Aloha,
Larry
Jennifer Nielson said the following:
Addressing difficulties is never as difficult as ignoring them. We are programmed to avoid pain and to put on a happy face.
This simply doesn’t work.
It will catch up with you. I was a pro at faking it. When I look at old pictures of me I can see the pain behind the smile.
I wanted more.
I wanted to find congruency with my inner and outer self.
I didn’t want to fake it anymore.
I couldn’t fake it anymore.
I was dying inside.
What did I do? I stopped pretending, dealt with the difficulties from my past, did my work and didn’t give up.
I chose productive discomfort over the discomfort and turmoil I had lived with most of my life.
It was the best, hardest thing I’ve ever done.
No more faking it.I invite you to listen as Jennifer tells her story of dealing with the drama and trauma of her youth and how as she said, she stopped pretending, dealt with her past difficulties, and chose productive discomfort. Now she assists others better deal with their past difficulties as an Emotional Resilience Coach.
Yeah, so what can a couple of kids from Generation Y have accomplished, and what could they know about life? As it turns out, quite a lot.
Courtney and Cody Cowley tell their own stories of growing up, meeting in high school, professional dance, a state championship, long distance dating, eventual marriage, traveling the world, and being in the midst of medical school. They talk about what they learned from their world travels, and how their views on what's really important in life were shaped in part by these experiences.
If you're an older listener, you're going to be impressed by this dynamic couple. Like me, you'll gain a greater appreciation of what the younger generation can do for us as we head on down the road of life. Well, at least the younger generation who share an appreciation for living a fun fulfilling life, and understand that helping their fellow humans along the way, needs to be an important part of the equation.
Jim Low is all about family. I've been lucky enough in life to have known Jim and his family since we were kids. It's been a desire of mine to have Jim tell his story on my podcast since I began last year, and I finally got him to agree; or wore him down.
Our Zoom visit covers Jimmy's life with humorous recollections at every turn. We talked about his love for his wife Lori and his three daughters. He talks about his Mom and Dad and how losing them in 2020 was a hard blow considering how close he was to them.
We've lived a few doors apart, worked together, played A LOT of softball together, spent a lot of time together as families and I feel super lucky to count Jimmy as one of my close friends.
Take a little time out of your day and enjoy the life story of Jim Low.
(Mid podcast song is "My Hawaii" by The Green, a Hawaiian Reggae band from Oahu.)
From Coventry, England, to Canada, to Singapore to the United States' Well, these are just the countries he's lived in but he's traveled to over 90.
In our chat about his life, Malcolm not only talks about how he got interested in travel, but also about his favorite travel destinations. We talked about some of the pitfalls of travel, places he would still like to visit and surprise, surprise; Hawaii.
Linda and Steve Stay have a unique story. As they give us a glimpse into their lives, we’ll hear of their meeting, and eventual marriage, a bit later in life. They will talk about their lives growing up, previous relationships and what now motivates and moves them.
Look, anytime you “blend” a family there are hurdles to overcome, and this has been the case for Linda and Steve. They’ll talk about how their decisions have not always been uniformly endorsed by their family; (like being part of the documentary "8: The Mormon Proposition") but it’s their blended family that has given their lives purpose and direction.
I’m also including a couple of humorous songs performed by Steve. He’s been a lifetime rock n’ roller and now goes by the handle of, Crazy Grandpa Steve on Facebook. You can also find him at SteveStay.com.
This, the last episode of season one is one that I believe will have the listener question their own views on subjects, that they just might not think they needed to question. Or, maybe it won't.
Eric Almeida’s life took an unexpected turn when he suffered a panic attack two years ago. As a way of dealing with the resulting agoraphobia that took over his life, Eric underwent Emotionally Focused Therapy. Practicing EFT put Eric on a path of self-betterment and gave him a desire to help others by becoming an EFT practitioner.
I invite you to listen to Eric’s life story and the events that led up to his panic attack. We’ll also discuss just exactly what Eric’s EFT technique involves and how this therapy just might be right for you.
Terry McDougall is an Executive and Career Coach and author of Amazon best-seller Winning the Game of Work: Career Happiness and Success on Your Own Terms. Before becoming a full-time coach, she spent her career as a marketer and still has an enduring passion for all things marketing and works with many leaders in the marketing, advertising and communications fields. Terry has recently started her own podcast, Marketing Mambo which is a fun and fast-paced conversation with bright and fascinating marketers from around the globe.
Terry and I have much in common from our love of music and attending concerts, to Hawaii. Yep, we talk about Terry’s family vacation to Maui and how the visit left a lasting impression.
Here’s a link to Terry’s website: https://www.terrybmcdougall.com/
Singer/songwriter and guitarist Wade Cambern is a Hoku Award-winning producer and composer for Hawaiian Style Band. His original songs "Love and Honesty," "Let’s Talk Story," "Live A Little, Hawaiian Style," "Rhythm of the Ocean" and others continue to resonate with listeners in Hawaii and throughout the world. Along with Israel Kamakawiwa’ole and Bryan Kessler, they wrote the song “Living in a Sovereign Land” that has been a standard bearer for those advocating for the rights of the Hawaiian people.
During a musical career spanning decades, Wade’s voice and music have also been recorded in many radio and television advertisements, and he now directs the Contemporary Service Music Ensemble at Central Union Church in Honolulu.
But where did he grow up? What did his parents do and how did this influence him? Which member of the Adams Family tv show did he go to school with? How did he end up in Hawaii? How did he meet Bryan Kessler, and Rob Burns, and get started with the Hawaiian Style Band? How did Robi Kahakalau join the band? The band was conceptualized as a revolving band, a collaboration of more than fifty musicians, that included Hawaiian music notables Israel Kamakawiwa'ole; Bla, Cyril, and Martin Pahinui; Fiji; Teresa Bright; Del Beazley; and the Ka'au Crater Boys.
Well listen in, hear some great music, and hear the life story of Wade Cambern (and a bonus song at the end if you listen all the way). And yes, you’ll find out who that Adams Family cast member was.
In episode 37, I sit down and talk with my younger sister Barb and her wife Cindi. They discuss their upbringings, when they knew they were different, and how this difference effected their lives.
We also talk about how my beliefs that were taught to me by well-meaning family, friends and church leaders were well; just flat out wrong. And how admitting I was wrong is ok.
So how are things different in 2021 than they were in 1981? Do Cindi and Barb feel accepted in their community, in their families and in their religion? Spoiler, not so much in their religion.
Oh yeah, here’s one more reason to listen in. Whatever your thoughts might be when it comes to a loving, caring relationship, you will appreciate the love shared by these two. Being there for the good times is easy, but showing up when things are in the crapper; to me this is an example of a couple committed to “being there” for each other. And being there for each other, well there's no better example of this than Barb and Cindi.
What could you achieve if you refused to quit on your dreams? Born in a strict religious community, (politically correct term for a cult), Jessie Shedden encountered immense challenges growing up, including bullying for her appearance and dyslexia, sexual abuse, and an ever-increasing knowledge that life in the cult held no prospects for her.
Jessie knew for 15 years that her dreams would mean she’d have to choose a life outside the one she knew. A life that restricted her freedoms and stifled her spirit as she grew up. Completely out of hope, and after surrendering her entire identity, she looked at her options: suicide, or a chance at a new life in an unknown world?
In episode 36 of Nobody Knows Your Story, Jessie details the strict rules that she was forced to live by and how things weren’t what they seemed. Now having found her freedom, Jessie shares her emotional struggles and how she chose to handle them as she developed into who she is today. She’s lost no time in creating a life on her terms, with self-respect, justice and authenticity.
HOST NOTE:
As Jessie and I both grew up in high demand religions, we share our takes, discuss similarities, and look at opportunities for personal growth and self-expression throughout our hour together. Yeah, this interview hit a bit close to home.
Find Jessie at:
Facebook@jessieshedden
Instagram@jessieshedden
www.jessieshedden.com
Asha Grigg grew up in Perth, Australia. Her first 17 years of life were much like her friends, until she received a medical assessment that would turn her world upside down.
Listen to Asha's story of how her biggest turning point, was mastering her mindset, and identifying the importance it would have on her life.
My first Nobody Knows Your Story podcast interview of 2021 is with lifestyle mentor Dai Manuel. Dai discusses growing up in Eastern Canada and how a significant event at age nine changed his life; but it also propelled him later to become who he is today. Spend and hour and learn a bit about the life of Dai Manuel, and just how he became so interested in fitness. Interested enough to, well; to write a fitness manifesto.
Cheryl Ray grew up in the small town of Price, Utah. So just how did she end up as a sex crimes instructor with the FBI? And that, well that's just the beginning.
Take the time and listen as Cheryl talks about going from being a drum majorette, to a Mom, to a very interesting twenty-seven-year career with the FBI. Some of her assignments took her to Nigeria, Italy, Iraq, Australia, Afghanistan and more.
As one might imagine, she’s not at liberty to discuss all that she did, but some of the stories she tells are absolutely mind boggling.
(In the podcast picture, that's Cheryl standing in a bombed out building in Baghdad.)
Rob Schafer has worked for Francis Ford Coppola for a dozen years and has edited a number of his films including a re-edit of "The Godfather III" released just this past week. The re-edited film was given a new name as well; The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.Rob talks about growing up in California, and his learning to play the guitar by spending hours each day at practice. All the practice paid off as Rob played lead guitar in a successful band with older brother Ryan while Rob was still in high school.
We also chat a bit about Hawaii and the trips we spent there as family. Yeah, we spent a number of vacations together on Oahu because you see, Rob is my nephew.
Ya know, with the life I've lived and the joy I get from conversing, I fancy myself as a modern day raconteur. But damn, when it comes to recounting a life well lived, Bob Hollowell's the man!
In part two of Bob's interview, he recalls some interesting life events such as riding across the country on a tandem bike with wife Carol. He also recounts working the oil fields of North Dakota, and his eventual career as a pilot after flying for fun, most of his adult life.
After getting to know Bob, it's clear he and I are aligned in many ways, even down to our love of Jimmy Buffett. Towards the end of this talk story session, we discuss what's really important as we're living and dying in 3/4 time.
Yes it's true; Bob Hollowell started milking cows on the family farm in Oregon and has flown planes as an airline pilot.
Oh, that's not the half of it. Listen to part one of Bob's story in episode 30 of Nobody Knows Your Story where he really doesn't even get to his airline pilot experiences. What a tease, right?
He does talk about his early life, meeting wife Carol and what it's like to experience the highs and lows of running your own business.
There's a bit of parrothead talk as Carol and Bob are followers of Jimmy Buffet.
Cindy McDonald is a devoted wife, mother, stepmother and grandmother and I’ve known her and husband Mel for many years. So, when I say devoted, let me tell you what I’m talking about. You see, Cindy wrote a book, The Least Likely Criminal, and in it you get an in depth view to her devotion as she reveals the things she did to help her son Bennett, who was injured in a terrible accident.
In today’s episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, Cindy talks about her life, and the tragic events that led her to repeatedly break the law as she helped Bennett in his fight to survive.
In today’s Nobody Knows Your Story episode you’ll be hearing the life story of Lark Dean Galley. She recounts her early life which involved moving many times, living in difficult circumstances and how these experiences drove her to want a life of structure and order.
Lark has had her share of struggles. On March 21, 2019, Lark experienced a devastating loss—the unexpected suicide of her 19-year-old son. Having already endured her father’s suicide five years earlier, this second death hit especially hard.
Like many, Lark has had to learn to cope with loss and we’ll talk about her book, Learning to Breathe Again: Choosing to Heal After Losing a Loved One to Suicide. Life’s experiences have led her to look at things differently. She’s more reflective and less aggressive and when it comes to situations that once required promptness and deadlines, she’s adopted a believe that “things will all work out”.
"Honey, I've got to go out of town on business. I'm heading to Honduras, be back in a couple of weeks."
Chuck Hagen joined the Army after High School but not directly. He worked a bit and over time decided he wanted to take his life another direction. His eyesight kept him from becoming a pilot but when a recruiter suggested being a helicopter mechanic Chuck thought, why not?
Listen as Chuck recalls growing up in Milwaukee, dealing with the divorce of his parents, realizing his Dad was less than perfect but following his advice to do something more with his life. Doing something more is what led Chuck to the Army, eventually marriage, and a career in aviation all the way out in Arizona.
Oh yeah, and some not so typical business trips.
After six months of weekly podcasts, I felt that I needed episode 25 to be an explanation of how Nobody Knows Your Story will be every other Wednesday starting next week.
But hey, I couldn't just do an episode without a story and a few songs so that's what you'll get when you listen to this abbreviated episode.
Aloha,
Larry
Yes, I called the guy and Judy and I ended up sitting right next to Charles's wife. (This will make sense once you've listened to the episode.)
Karen Christoffersen has worked as a producer of television, radio, film, and print advertising for 40 years. She's coordinated book production, including writing, editing, design, and printing for BookWise Publishing authors since its inception in 2006.
Karen lost her husband Al in a terrible accident more than ten years ago and is the mother of three adult children. In today's episode, Karen talks about growing up in North Carolina, and the decisions that led her out to Utah where she met Al. She describes the difficulty of losing your best friend but how her belief in one day being reunited keeps her going.
Hawai'i? Yeah, she talks about that too.
Once again on the Nobody Knows Your Story podcast, we’ll be listening to the life stories of another couple. Amber and Todd Lewis are the second couple to appear as guests on NKYS and will be sharing interesting anecdotes from their youth, funny remembrances of their first encounters, their eventual marriage and their challenges together.
Their life has been different from most couple’s when it relates to children. They talk about how they have navigated the difficulties of premature births, a child with special needs, and how these life experiences have helped them to develop greater levels of patience and love.
Yeah, this is one of those stories that you truly enjoy, and that you will think about again and again.
In the John Lennon song Beautiful Boy, John is heard singing, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”. Life can sometimes happen in a way we wish it wouldn’t, but nevertheless must accept. This was the case for Wayne Merrill when he was forced to become a man at the age of fifteen.
Everyone has a story; this is true but I’m pretty sure there aren’t many who’ve had a story like Wayne’s. In episode 22 of Nobody Knows Your Story, you’ll hear how Wayne has had more than his share of tragedy yet considers himself a lucky man.
So, I invite you to stick around and listen to the life story of Wayne Merrill.
David Salisbury grew up Mormon in the surf and music world of Southern California in the 1960’s. His story is one shared by many during that carefree period of life which was centered around part time jobs, church, dating and school. Oh yeah, there was that music thing too, listening to and performing as a drummer/ percussionist.
After a Mormon mission to South America, college, and marriage; David made work related moves from Utah, to Florida, back to Utah and then to Virginia. He recently returned to Utah where he currently teaches educational psychology in a political science class at Dixie State University.
Listen as this former Mormon Bishop talks about the twists and turns life takes and how he believes the future lies in trying to make a better world through intelligent conversation, rather than political, social, or religious battles.
Like many, Bob Fondiller’s life has been shaped by decisions he made in his youth. Since I hear our brains do not fully develop until we’re twenty-five, I feel comfortable using twenty-five as the age of becoming an adult. (Rental car companies use this figure as well for adult consideration.)
So, here’s Bob, working as a golf caddie through high school, having a strong math background and thinking he’ll become a math teacher. But a professor tells Bob he would make a good MBA candidate and that takes Bob’s life down a different path. A path that has ended up with him spending the majority of his very active life on the island of Maui.
Listen as Bob recalls what has been a very interesting life journey.
At 33, Mike French had an experience that took his life in a different direction.
Mike grew up in Michigan without a father figure but overall, had a fairly normal upbringing if you can have a normal upbringing without a father figure. A traumatic event in high school set him back for a time, but he pressed forward with a positive attitude. A job that contributed to addictive concerns, a marriage that went south, these may have put others over the edge. But Mike decided he was ready for a change as he met the love of his life and headed west.
So how did things go? What happened at 33?
Spend an hour and get to know the life story of Mike French.
Yeah, you think you know somebody. I sat down with Dan Kelly and listened to his life story and learned a few things I did not know.
Dan grew up in the Boston area; knew that. Dan played bugle in the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corp; did not know that. Dan worked in a shipyard; did not know that. Dan plays softball year round, I knew that. Dan was in the Air Force; knew that. Dan was a referee and umpire for a variety of sports from recreational to college level, did not know that. Dan has had a number of motorcycles and has made a cross country trip honoring Veterans; did not know that. Dan got into track and field and ended up with a U.S. National Champ; did not know that. Dan was a corrections officer for 14 years, I knew that.
Oh yeah, there’s more. So kick back and listen to the life story of Daniel Francis Joseph Kelly.
ADULT LANGUAGE: (Just a bit.)
Creighton Park had what today is a pretty typical upbringing. Parents divorced when he was three, he attended church regularly, played sports, was a Boy Scout and idolized his older brother. But, then things changed. He started to feel like he didn’t fit in with those around him.
Spend an hour and hear how Creighton took a path too many of our loved ones have taken, and how with a lot of work, he’s now on a path that long eluded him.
In today’s episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, I visit with friend and career TV Meteorologist, Jim Barach. Jim recalls spending 38 years working as a broadcaster in nine different states. One of those states, New Mexico is where I met Jim as we worked together at KIVA Channel 12. That was about seven or eight Presidents ago.
Jim’s last job in broadcasting took him to WCHS in Charleston, West Virginia to work as Chief Meteorologist. Jim spent thirteen years at WCHS, and he still lives in Charleston. So, have you ever wondered about the people you see doing the news on TV? Listen in and you will have many of your questions answered as Jim discusses the ups and downs of a life in television.
It just would not be Nobody Knows podcast without having Jim tell us about his family. Jim talks glowingly about his daughter Summer, and wife Karen who he met while working in Wichita, Kansas. He’ll also touch on growing up in Southern California where he and I had a funny connection.
Lastly, you’ll hear what Jim is doing now. It seems like everyone is talking politics these days and that’s pretty much what Jim is doing on a daily basis. That’s known as a tease!
How does a young man growing up in Detroit, Michigan end up a world class musician living on an island in the middle of the Pacific? Tom Conway tells just exactly how he made his way to Maui back in 1977 and how he developed into a well-known guitar player playing with music legends from Alice Cooper to Willie Nelson.
Of course, this does not just happen. Tom talks about trips back to the mainland to further his guitar education and the reality of life as a professional musician. There are musical highs such as being a member of Hawai’i music legend Willie K’s band and the lows of his early years on Maui when life necessitated working a myriad of other jobs to survive.
But survive he did, and he’d be the first to tell you that wife Sandy and her encouraging, supportive nature has been instrumental in his ability to thrive in the land of Aloha.
Pam and Steve Park spent their careers in education, first as teachers and then as principals. Along the way there were stints at coaching, obtaining master’s degrees (where they met) and now following the exploits of their former students.
In this episode, they talk of the joy they have experienced in the educational positions they have held. As Pam stated, “A teacher is like looking at an apple and cutting it in half and counting the number of seeds in the apple. Being a principal is looking at the seed and wondering how many apples will come from that seed.”
They also discuss the seven blended children they have raised and how they all get along so well. Yeah, interviewing a couple is a bit different, but different in a good way.
DISCLAIMER: There's a bit of salty language in this podcast.
Dave and I have been friends for more than forty years and we share quite a history, some of which comes out during Dave's life story. But, that's not why Dave is here.
Though I may be a bit partial, I believe Dave is a gifted artist and teacher. He's taught art at the university / college level for over thirty years and has continued with his own painting during this time. Art is often subjective, but you can take a look at some of Dave's work by going to his Instagram which is simply, Fruitmandu.
Outside of his art and painting, Dave loves pretty much anything outdoors but in particular, fishing. You'd better understand Dave's passion for fishing if you met him as you'd quickly notice the large fish tattoos that adorn both arms.
My wife Judy and I had planned on visiting Hawai’I in May or June to spend time with our daughter, granddaughter, and son in law AND do several podcast interviews. Now we are on hold until this Coronavirus pandemic gets to a point where traveling becomes a safe thing to do.
But I have several Hawai’I friends with interesting life stories and decided I can wait no longer to hear from some of them. In this episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, I visit with Rick Graves, a friend who lives in Hawai’I on the island of Maui.
Rick has immersed himself in the central Maui town of Wailuku where in 2016 he purchased a home in a quiet Okinawan neighborhood, centered around the Hongwanji mission. He lived in the backyard while getting the plantation style house restored to its former 1930's glory. It was a lot of work and money, but a dream come true, with Rick’s life centered around building community agriculture and distributing great organic produce to the neighborhood by home built bicycle cart/ and a small farm stand.
Before Rick became a fulltime Maui resident, he visited often. He talks about why he wanted to make the island of Maui his home and how living in New Zealand as a youth prepared him for the direction his life has taken.
So, have you ever wondered just a bit about what it’s like to be a dealer in a Las Vegas casino? The glamour, the glitz, the famous people and all of the money changing hands.
In today’s episode of Nobody Knows Your Story, I sit down with Bruce King and listen to his life story. Bruce describes his youth growing up Jewish in Denver, CO with a baseball obsession.
So how did a guy totally focused on baseball end up dealing craps in Las Vegas for over thirty years? There’s only one way to find out and that’s to spend some time listening to episode eleven of the Nobody Knows Your Story podcast. (BTW, Bruce is still obsessed with baseball and is one kick-ass softball player!)
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is intended for folks who enjoy history and learning about people who have lived an interesting life. (If you enjoy Hawai'ian history, you'll really find this story of interest.)
So, today’s podcast, episode ten of Nobody Knows Your Story is about the great white Chief, friend and advisor to Kamehameha; John Young.
Can you imagine being marooned on an island in the South Seas? Well, John was left behind on a tropical island, facing death from his captors but survived. Not only did he survive but he became a trusted military advisor and friend to the tough Hawai’ian Chief who one day would unite all of the islands of Hawai’I into a kingdom.
Married to a relative of the king, Young went on to become one of the ali’i, the ruling caste of the islands, and in a long and busy lifetime amassed wealth and power. He was the “white ali’i”, and his reputation lived on long after his death.
Erika Munson felt a call, a call to reach out as an active Mormon to the LGBTQ community. So, in 2012 she created Mormons Building Bridges, a group who's purpose was to make Mormon congregations more welcoming to LGBTQ people.
As Erika recalls her life story, she talks about the influence of her parents, her religion and how living in the Boston area shaped her life. As Harvard graduates, she and her husband have had several interesting experiences she talks about that contributed to the person she is today. Her choice to stay home and raise her children also had a profound influence upon her, until at age fifty, her husbands health necessitated her entering the workforce, and; a move to Utah.
Listen in and find out how these life experiences played into Erika's desire to do more for others, particularly the Mormon LGBTQ community.
John Durrill is a name you probably don't know but here's just a bit about him and why you'll want to listen to his story.
For almost six decades, award winning, songwriter John Durrill's works have been recorded by more than sixty major recording artists in the US and around the world. Frank Sinatra, Bette Midler, Cher, and Everly Brothers, Chicago, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, The Statler Brothers, Joe Williams. Sarah Vaughn, Peggy Lee and Reba are a sampling of artists whose hits have sold over fifty million singles, albums, DVD's and CD's of John's compositions.
As a former high school English teacher in Oklahoma John, along with his close friend Mike Rabon, formed "The Five Americans" in 1963. John, Mike and group member Norm Ezell, wrote and sang the Group's first top ten hit, "I See The Light", soon followed by the number on record "Western Union" selling over a million copies.
In 1968 Durrill left the The Five Americans and joined the Internationally famous, instrumental group, "The Ventures" in Hollywood, California. Shortly after their mega hit "Hawaii 5-0", John co-wrote "Kyoto Doll" which was released by The Ventures in Japan and soon the multi million selling single became a standard recorded by scores of artists in the Far East. In March, 2008 The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with John Mellencamp, Madonna, Leonard Cohen, and the Dave Clark Five.
Besides his over fifty year affiliation with The Ventures, John is one of the Music Industry's most prolific songwriters. In 1970 he joined forces with one of Hollywood's all time, most successful, record producers, Snuff Garrett. Virtually every record project produced by Snuff had the Durrill name attached to it as a writer. During this period, John worked with Clint Eastwood writing songs and music backgrounds for five of Clint's popular films. His song "Misery and Gin", written for the movie "Bronco Billy" went on to become number one in the charts for legendary Merle Haggard. In Eastwood's "Any Which Way You Can", Durrill wrote five of the movies songs, one of them, "The Good Guys and The Band Guys" on camera in the film.
John wrote for over twenty motion pictures and television series including "Smokey and The Bandit II", "Sharkey's Machine", "The Cannon Ball Movies", and "Reba".
Over the years Cher has recorded five of Durrill's songs including her number on hit, "Dark Lady" and "I Saw A Man" and "He Danced With His Wife". The Everly Brothers' sang three of his compositions and Chicago's XXV Christmas CD included his song "Child's Prayer" which he co-wrote with Lee Loughnane, one of the founding members of the group.
John continues to write and produce music, and when he can; he likes to visit Maui where I met him many years ago.
NKYS sits down with Keith Gee in his beautiful home in Parker, CO and learns about the experiences in his life that made him who he is.
Keith grew up in a military family which meant he moved around a bit. He also grew up the only boy in a family of six children which most certainly had a profound influence on him. As with everyone, Keith has experienced highs and lows and he covers several that helped develop his character.
We talked about current issues and how Keith developed close relationships with teammates growing up that transcended race, religion and socioeconomic position.
And... We did it all while being Coronavirus safe. (Well, most of the time.)
In the mid-eighties, a company I worked for was acquired by a larger company. This is not uncommon in corporate America, especially back in the eighties and nineties.
As a store manager, I was responsible for the operations of a Las Vegas, NV location. The man responsible for the operations of all of the store locations was, well indirectly over me. There were a few levels in between but we all heard of this big dude, Kay Olsen who worked out of our corporate office and he was flying in to tour our locations.
We were ready. We had spent lots of time cleaning, organizing, and generally making sure we would be leaving Mr. Olsen with a good impression.
I'll always remember this meeting because little did I know it would be the beginning of a multi-decade friendship.
Kay is soft-spoken, (except when you get him fired up) and at 6' 7", you'd be better off playing him in darts than basketball. I've benefited from his humble wisdom many times and know that he's passionate when he believes in something. Kay has influenced the lives of many in a positive way, and as you spend a little time listening to his story, you'll have a better feel for just exactly what I'm talking about.
P.S. He's a fan of Kaua'i.
We've all heard of folks who moved around a lot, particularly if they had a parent in the military. Well, I sat down with Astrid Harris who did move around a lot as a child and continues to do so as an adult.
For me, I would find it quite daunting to move pretty much anywhere outside the United States but for Astrid; no big deal. From Brunei to Switzerland, Astrid has lived a life that's frequently called for a change in climate, a change in clothing, and most definitely a change in mindset. (It does help to be able to speak multiple languages.)
I invite you to spend some time and listen in as Astrid recalls her experiences as a real-life globetrotter which happens to include a six-year stint on the most beautiful island in the world.
Aloha Everyone,
Typically, I'm the one asking the questions though I have been on both sides of the mic in the past. Having said this, I really do prefer asking the questions. I want to say thanks to Doug Jardine for agreeing to interview me for my podcast. Whenever we get together, many laughs are shared, and it was no different during this exercise.
To the best of my knowledge, when it comes to how one chooses to put together a podcast, you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want. This has pretty much always been my approach so; it works well for me.
Before anyone asks, yes, I know I somewhat stayed on the periphery of the subject of Hawai'i. There's a reason. It's because I am planning on doing a Hawai'i in My Life podcast down the road. I did however strategically insert a couple of my favorite Hawai'ian songs in the podcast. In particular, I included my good friend Braddah Ernest Puaa singing a version of White Sandy Beach. This is the song my daughter Tatum asked Ernest to sing as I walked her down the aisle on her wedding day back in 2017.
Finally, I just want to thank each of you who listens to what I have to say and invite you to reach out to me if you ever want to talk story.
Aloha,
Larry
Carol Hollowell shares her life history in episode three of Nobody Knows Your Story.
Carol tells of her upbringing in Bend, OR; college at Oregon State, business adventures, kidney donation, (which led to looking at life in a different way) and, what brought her and her family to St. George, UT.
As the Executive Director Of Switchpoint, a St. George non profit that assists the homeless and others in need of assistance, Carol has made a huge impact in Washington, County. She has a calling to help those in need and I invite you listeners to spend some time getting to know what Carol Hollowell has to say.
About Switchpoint:
Switchpoint has been able to get more results than traditional homeless shelters where housing and food is offered, but usually not much else. All of our services are free and open to the public. We also have a community garden. The fruits and vegetables are used at the shelter and food pantry.
We operate a Thrift Store to provide affordable clothing and household items to our clients and the community. We also operate a doggy day care, Bed ‘N” Biscuits. Both businesses offer a job shadowing program for our residents and clients. All net proceeds fund the operations at the homeless shelter.
Check them out and PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION OR VOLUNTEERING.
Here is a link to Switchpoint;
https://switchpointcrc.org/
Mel McDonald has an interesting story you're going to want to take the time to hear. His years spent as a criminal prosecutor, a judge, United States Attorney (appointed by President Ronald Reagan) and a defense attorney will amaze and impress.
One thing I want to point out is that when I sat down with him at his home last November, the interview you're about to hear was done by Mel completely from memory; not one note.
Aloha and welcome to episode one of Nobody Knows Your Story.
I sat down with James prior to the Coronavirus, back when life was just a bit simpler. My podcast is centered around the life stories of interesting people. Typically, most will not be familiar with my podcast guest but you'll enjoy taking the time to listen to their individual stories.
Spend some time and listen as James talks about growing up Mormon with nine siblings in Mesa, AZ. James talks fondly of being in high school and being able to assist his father at work. Did this "assisting" take him down the path his life eventually took?
You'll want to find out the answer to this and to how he dealt with issues of a very personal nature. Issues that contributed to him leaving the area he had lived in for the majority of his life, eventually ending up on the Big Island of Hawai'i.
(The dude can rock a stand up paddleboard!)