Suddenly Stronger

"I'm no longer shrinking to be digestible. You can choke."Roxanne shared this powerful quote (source unknown) on her Facebook page, and she takes it to heart. She is bold, outspoken, and so much fun to talk to.She never met her birth father. She was abused by her stepdad. Manipulated and humiliated by her church. Her toxic marriage ultimately led to abuse and hearing loss. She reached a breaking point, escaped the toxic marriage, started a new life on her terms, and now her future is looking ...

A toxic home environment. Rape. Rape AGAIN. Loss of an eye after a freak accident. Losing a parent to suicide. Nicki's early years were traumatic and she very easily could've ended up on a different path. Her perspective is unexpected. Her tenacity is inspiring. And she tells her story in a way that will leave you feeling shocked, encouraged, and ready to take on the world. Tune in and be inspired by her strength and grit as she shares her story on this episode of Suddenly Stronger....

When her husband took his life with no warning, Brandi and her two sons were blindsided and left to pick up the pieces. They all handled their grief in different ways: Brandi entered the world of bodybuilding, and her sons headed down two very different paths. Brandi has found strength and healing by sharing her story, and has learned to communicate more directly with her loved ones. She sheds light on this topic that is seen by many as shameful and taboo, and shares how those in similar situ...

By the time Melinda was 20, she was already married with a six-month-old baby. Two weeks before their first anniversary, her husband was killed in a car accident, leaving her to raise their baby on her own. Though coping with his death was incredibly difficult, she knew she had to be present for her son, provide for him, and try to serve both parental roles. Twenty years and several hardships later, she views things with a surprising perspective.Tune in to be inspired by her strength as she s...

When Tara's third aunt developed breast cancer, she knew something was up. She decided to be proactive with her health and get tested for the BRCA gene, a genetic mutation that drastically increases chances of developing breast cancer. When the test came back positive, she made a quick decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy and removal of her Fallopian tubes. She was determined to prevent cancer so she could continue to be present for her family. Little did she know that a y...

Tracey was newly divorced and not looking for love; but it found her. What she didn't know is that her new love would lead her down a path of unexpected twists and turns, lies, sacrifices, and deception. When she found out that her fiance had been diagnosed with leukemia, her competitive spirit kicked in and she was determined to stand by her man and help him beat cancer for the third time. She had no idea what the future held, and what she started to uncover was shocking. Tune in as she shar...

Her brother’s obsession with her body began when she was too young to understand what was happening. Being violated at such a young age led to self harm, eating disorders, and suicidal tendencies. But Melinda K was a force to be reckoned with. She became an advocate for her own mental and physical health, using therapy, faith, and her passion for writing as her strongest weapons. Guest: Melinda Kelley. (Guest is using a pseudonym and prefers to stay anonymous.)Intro / Outro: Stronger by Les T...

With a deck stacked against him, he could’ve been a statistic, continuing down the wrong path, making poor choices and maybe even ending up in prison. Instead, my dear friend Les Thomas made a choice to rise above his circumstances. He intentionally surrounded himself with people who would lift him up and lovingly speak truth to him. He became a successful hip-hop artist, university sports hype man, respected military member, and a unifying force in his community. But Les didn’t just rise up ...

When Ky's son Jacob was brutally murdered at age 19, she was left to pick up the pieces and figure out how to carry on with her husband and her surviving son, Jacob's twin brother.The audio of the people I interview is unedited to preserve the integrity of their stories. Each story unfolds as a natural conversation, often in chronological order beginning with the backstory. To skip the backstory in this episode, skip ahead to 30:14.Guest: Ky CrockettIntro / Outro: Stronger by Les Thomas (Chec...