Audacious with Chion Wolf

Most days fade into the next. You make the coffee, answer the emails, run the errands, fold the laundry, try to keep up. But every once in a while, life gives you a moment that blows your freakin' mind. For more than a year, at the end of Audacious interviews, we've asked guests one final question: Will you tell me about a pinch me moment in your life? Here are their answers: stories of love, second chances, belonging, transformation, and awe, including a few from 250 miles above Earth. Suggested episodes: Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us I saw it coming! When premonitions come true What smells remind you of childhood? Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments How regret teaches us to live Stories of everyday courage, from getting a needle in the eye to tackling a purse thief The surprising ways we ritual GUESTS (in order of appearance): First segment: Andy Corren, Bruce Campbell, Steve Feltham, Leroy McSmith, Jeffrey Marsh, Dr. Cori Breslauer, Logan Goodspeed, Casper ter Kuile, Jody Jahn, Harriet Newman Cohen, Andrew Luber, Patrick O'Connor, Glynn Washington, and Bill Edgar Second segment: James Tillman, Cassandra Madison, Julia Tinetti, Rebekah Spicuglia, Danielle Meinert, Candace Jordan, Drew John Ladd, Mikaela Higgins, Ari Cobb, Meredith Dietz, Sarah Thomas, Dr. Lisa Kenton, and Karen Smith Third segment: Audley Stephenson, Tamia Potter, Jay Bragg, Dr. John Elefteriades, Landon Proctor, Marci Pelzer, Karen Nyberg, Nicole Stott, and Chris Hadfield Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone tells you they’ve survived sexual abuse, the conversation can feel tender for everyone involved: the person choosing what to share, and the person trying to respond with care. How can we make those moments feel safer, more honest, and less lonely? Beth Hamilton, executive director of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, offers guidance on how to respond with steadiness, care, and humility. Then Drew John Ladd shares his story as a male survivor of childhood sexual abuse. He reflects on silence, family response, masculinity, justice, shame, survival, and joy. This episode is about how to integrate trauma, what disclosure asks of a survivor, and how the rest of us can learn to listen better Resources: RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline 1in6 offers support, information, and community specifically for male survivors Suggested episodes: Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us What two suicide attempt survivors want you to know about staying alive GUESTS: Beth Hamilton: Executive director of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, where she works on advocacy, prevention, survivor support, and public policy. She is also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, which informs the care and clarity she brings to conversations about disclosure and healing Drew John Ladd: Writer, musician, and teacher. He shares his experience as a male survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and reflects on silence, family response, masculinity, justice, and what better conversations can make possible Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a Brooklyn woman who identifies as queer, liberal, vegan, and an atheist donates her kidney to a conservative Christian man from Virginia? Kerry Kennedy and Joey Shervey tell the story of what it looks like when compassion outvotes everything else. Their transplant crossed party lines and personal beliefs to create an unexpected friendship. Then, Lindsay Vigue describes how a small flyer on the wall of a diner led her to become a living kidney donor, and then to becoming the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut. Resources: Donate Life Connecticut National Kidney Foundation National Kidney Registry OrganDonor.gov Former Middletown mayor Dan Drew's TED Talk about why he donated his kidney Suggested episode: The Story Of The First African American Face Transplant GUESTS: Joey Shervey: Kidney transplant recipient from Moneta, Virginia Kerry Kennedy: Living kidney donor from Brooklyn, New York Lindsay Vigue: Living kidney donor and the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you play the violin without a right hand? How do you drum after losing a leg? How do you rap and create beats when you can only move your head and shoulders? Adrian Anantawan was born without his right hand and most of his right forearm, and learned violin using a custom bow adaptation attached to his arm. Billy Brimblecom Jr., a drummer who lost his left leg to cancer, shares how he returned to music and now helps other amputees get prosthetic limbs. And Pheez, a rapper and producer who became paralyzed after a diving accident, explains how he records using breath control, memory, and accessible technology. Suggested episodes: New ways to see, new ways to move: The tech that’s changing disability Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis Multiple sclerosis tried to bench her. Karen Smith won gold instead Joe Stone, wheelchair rugby, and the full-contact art of resilience GUESTS: Billy Brimblecom Jr.: Drummer, nonprofit leader, and amputee who turned the support he received after cancer into help for others through Steps of Faith Foundation Corey Lee, AKA “Pheez“: Rapper, producer, and Navy veteran who became a quadriplegic after a diving accident. He's a disability advocate and the host of The Super Adaptables podcast Adrian Anantawan: Violinist born without his right hand and most of his right forearm. Using a custom bow adaptation, he has built a career as a performer, teacher, and advocate for musicians with disabilities Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you go to a comedy club, you know what you’re there for. But what happens when comedy shows up somewhere else? Meredith Dietz describes doing stand-up in a New York City office where employees were told not to laugh, and on a Staten Island Ferry where no one could escape the ride. Years after his own incarceration, Ali Siddiq returns to jail to speak with people inside. And Pauline Schantzer, aka Polly Wolly, brings suggestive parody songs, dance moves, and deeply silly comedy into nursing homes. Suggested episodes: Why the world needs comedians with disabilities The meteoric rise of comedian Zarna Garg Actors Mary Elizabeth Kelly and Dean Edwards on the art of impressions Why the warm-up comic is the most underrated job in show biz D’yan Forest is a 91-year-old Guinness World Record holder for oldest female comedian GUESTS: Pauline Schantzer, aka Polly Wolly: Comedian and performer who brings musical comedy into nursing homes and senior-care spaces Meredith Dietz: Writer and stand-up comedian who has performed in comedy clubs, offices, and on the Staten Island Ferry Ali Siddiq: Comedian, writer, and actor whose work often draws from his own experience of incarceration. He filmed It’s Bigger Than These Bars inside Bell County Jail in 2017, and his 2026 special From Inside is a serious conversation recorded inside a detention center Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people savor every bite. Others eat 30 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Welcome to the world of competitive eating! Visit Lake Compounce for a Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest qualifier, where everyone is trying to prove they’re top dog. Then Crazy Legs Conti and Katina DeJarnett - aka Katina Eats Kilos - talk about what it takes to train, compete, recover, and keep chewing when your body is begging you to meat it halfway. It’s a lot to digest. Suggested episodes: The Guts & Glory Of Getting Into The Guinness Book Of World Records Edible oracles: Fortune-telling with cheese, onions, and tea leaves Welcome to the Punderdome! We're entering NYC's punniest pun competition GUESTS: Sam Barclay: Emcee and host with Major League Eating, where he helps turn competitive eating contests into full-on sporting spectacles Crazy Legs Conti: Longtime Major League Eating competitor, writer, filmmaker, and the subject of the documentary, “Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating“ Semora Kludy: Known through her food-challenge page, Semora’s Competitive Bites, she is a Michigan-based competitive eater and food challenger Max Stanford: aka Max vs Food, is a London-based competitive eater, food-content creator, and one of Major League Eating’s top-ranked competitors Katina DeJarnett: aka Katina Eats Kilos, is a professional eater, YouTuber, and former bodybuilder. She has millions of followers across social media watching her tackle giant meals around the world Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Stone grew up playing volleyball, skateboarding, and breakdancing. Then, in 2012, a car crash left him paralyzed. Doctors told him he would likely never move anything below his chest again. But five weeks after leaving the hospital, Joe found wheelchair rugby. This violent, fast, full-contact sport helped him rebuild strength, process anger, and feel alive in a changed body. In this conversation recorded at a live tournament in New Haven, Joe talks about the crash, falling in love after paralysis, being a father, faith, adaptive sports, and what people misunderstand when they assume athletes with disabilities are fragile. Suggested episodes: Multiple sclerosis tried to bench her. Karen Smith won gold instead Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis A marathon swimmer and ultrarunner: surviving cancer, breaking records New ways to see, new ways to move: The tech that’s changing disability GUEST: Joe Stone: Wheelchair rugby player and adaptive athlete who became paralyzed after a 2012 car crash fractured his C6 and C7 vertebrae. He plays with the Gaylord Warriors Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephanie Salvilla so deeply loved - still loves - her baby boy, Gannon. In July 2009, after a week of disrupted routines and sleepless nights, her brain went on autopilot. She dropped off her older child, drove to work, and unknowingly left 5-month-old Gannon in the car. He died. In this deeply difficult and important conversation, Stephanie talks about grief, shame, public judgment, forgiveness, and why she now shares her story. We also hear from Amber Rollins, executive director of Kids and Car Safety, about why these tragedies happen and the simple habits every caregiver can use to help keep children safe. Resources: Kids and Car Safety Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime? by Gene Weingarten Suggested episode: Finding purpose in life after accidentally killing someone GUESTS: Amber Rollins: Executive director of Kids and Car Safety, a national nonprofit focused on preventing child injuries and deaths in and around vehicles. She has worked with the organization for 21 years and helps lead its data, family support, and safety advocacy work Stephanie Salvilla: A mother whose 5-month-old son, Gannon, died in a hot car in 2009 after a change in the family’s daycare drop-off routine. She now shares her story to help prevent other families from living through the same tragedy Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you hear “philanthropy,” you might think of millionaires, black-tie galas, or buildings named after donors. But what if you could be a philanthropist without being wealthy? In this episode, you’ll meet people who donate small amounts to hundreds of places, hand out cash on city streets, and send money directly to people in poverty, no strings attached. Explore the power of small, consistent giving, and how even modest acts of generosity can spark massive ripple effects. This episode originally aired on May 24, 2025. Suggested episodes: GOOD NEWS! That’s how we celebrate 100 episodes of Audacious Social media, the algorithm, and the state of our hearts "Negativity be gone!": Artists igniting joy on social media GUESTS: Rabbi Jeff & Mindy Glickman: creators of the “Giving Locally Everywhere” (GLeE) initiative, through which they donated to every NPR station and United Way branch in the country, as well as other organizations they value. Jeff serves as rabbi at Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor, CT, and Mindy is a community leader and Hebrew instructor Peter Bond: a social media creator best known for his TikTok and Instagram accounts, @bondgives, where he documents acts of kindness and helps people in need across New York City. Since 2021, he has been using his platforms to inspire others to give back and make a positive impact in their communities Caroline Teti: a Vice President at GiveDirectly with decades of experience in almost all areas of the development sector, including the world’s largest and longest study on universal basic income. Her belief in direct cash as the most effective tool to end extreme poverty is also rooted in her upbringing in rural Kenya Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Tillman remembers the smell of steak and onions cooking at his mother’s house on the day police came for him. He thought he’d be back soon. Instead, he spent a total of 18½ years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. In 2006, with the help of the Connecticut Innocence Project, DNA evidence proved his innocence, making him the first person in Connecticut exonerated through post-conviction DNA testing. Later, DNA pointed to another man, who eventually confessed in court. James talks about refusing to plead guilty, surviving prison, holding onto faith, and learning how to live freely again. And we meet Katie Farrell, the social worker who helped him prepare for freedom before freedom was guaranteed. Suggested episodes: Nothing goes as planned: A first-time offender’s prison story from arrest to release Love without the possibility of parole How to find purpose in life after accidentally killing someone GUESTS: James Tillman: Was wrongfully convicted of rape and kidnapping in Hartford in 1989 and sentenced to 45 years in prison. After 18½ years incarcerated, DNA evidence proved his innocence, making him Connecticut’s first post-conviction DNA exoneree. Katie Farrell: Chief Social Worker for Connecticut’s Division of Public Defender Services. She worked with James Tillman during the final stage of his innocence case and helped him prepare for possible freedom Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The International Space Station was designed for science, research, and survival. But astronauts turned it into a music studio, an art studio, and a sewing room. Former ISS commander and musician, Chris Hadfield, astronaut-painter Nicole Stott, and astronaut-quilter Karen Nyberg take us inside the strange, beautiful reality of making music, paintings, and handmade objects while orbiting Earth at 17,500 miles an hour. Suggested episodes: Nicole Stott on being a NASA entertainment consultant What it's like at the bottom of the world with Dr. “Deepsea Dawn” Wright GUESTS: Chris Hadfield: Musician, fighter pilot, retired Canadian astronaut, and bestselling author, whose performance of Space Oddity became the first music video ever filmed in space Nicole Stott: Retired NASA astronaut, watercolor artist, and the first person to paint with watercolors in space. She co-founded the Space for Art Foundation to connect children around the world through art and space exploration Karen Nyberg: Engineer, retired NASA astronaut, and textile artist who hand-sewed a stuffed dinosaur, a Texas flag, and a quilt block aboard the International Space Station. It was later placed at the center of a massive community-made “astronomical quilt” Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the real mystery isn’t Bigfoot or Nessie, but the people who devote their lives to searching for them? Chion talks with Mike Wanders, who spent a year traveling through legendary Bigfoot country, and Steve Feltham, who has spent decades on the shore of Loch Ness. What keeps a person returning, again and again, to a mystery that refuses to resolve itself? And what if not knowing can be its own kind of joy? Suggested episodes: Meet a man who is committed to having coffee at every corporate-owned Starbucks on the planet GUESTS: Mike Wanders: Bigfoot researcher, adventurer, and documentarian. He traveled to alleged Bigfoot hotspots across North America for a year and documented the journey Steve Feltham: Known as the “Nessie Hunter,” he moved to the shores of Loch Ness in 1991 and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous vigil seeking the Loch Ness Monster Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past two years, at the end of interviews for Audacious, host Chion Wolf has been asking guests one question: have you ever had a dream or premonition that came true? Twenty-three guests describe vivid dreams, sudden urges, eerie intuitions, and moments of certainty that later proved accurate in ways they can’t explain. Some sensed love before it arrived. Some saw danger coming. Some felt loss before they knew what they were losing. Take a personal look at intuition, mystery, and the possibility that the world may be stranger and much more connected than we realize. Suggested episodes: Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us Why you so salty? What smells remind you of childhood? Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments How regret teaches us to live Stories of everyday courage, from getting a needle in the eye to tackling a purse thief The surprising ways we ritual Are you superstitious or just a little 'stitious'? GUESTS (in order of appearance): First segment: Caroline Mandaro, Casper ter Kuile, Timothy Schultz, Christine Ha, Achivai Sofer, Tom Burgoyne, Kerry Kennedy, and Joe Stone Second segment: Dr. Gale Ridge, Katina DeJarnett, Rachel Lithgow, Andy Corren, Bill Edgar, Lindsay Childress-Beatty, RoseMarie Wallace, and Dr. Kruti Parekh Third segment: Bettina Hunt, Joy Brooker, Paperboy Love Prince, Rebekah Spicuglia, Leslie Wharton, Sarah Napoli, and Harriet Newman Cohen Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people sign up for a 5K. Some people sign up for a race with a secret start time, no marked course, and books hidden in the woods. Or seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. We have questions. Meet Jared Campbell, the only person ever to finish the Barkley Marathons four times - a secretive, nearly mythic race through the Tennessee woods with an unmarked course, brutal climbs, and pages torn from hidden books as proof you were there. And Dr. Lisa Kenton is an ER doctor who pushed through ice, heat, and near-total exhaustion in the Great World Race, fueled by a cause close to her heart. Suggested episodes: Extreme ironing, cheese rolling, and shin kicking: The world of weird sports From wingsuit BASE jumping to record-breaking South Pole expeditions with Ellen Brennan Frat and Liv Arnesen A marathon swimmer and ultrarunner: surviving cancer, breaking records Banjo Man, 'Woo Woo' Wickers and UConn Huskies superfans share their love of the game Roller skating as community, competition, and transformation Multiple sclerosis tried to bench her. Karen Smith won gold instead GUESTS: Jared Campbell: the only four-time finisher of the Barkley Marathons - one of the world’s most punishing, quirky, and mysterious races Dr. Lisa Kenton: emergency room doctor at The Hospital of Central Connecticut who completed the Great World Race - seven marathons on seven continents in seven days - in November 2025. She dedicated the journey to raising awareness and funds for Malan syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects her niece and nephew. Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can a handwritten record reveal after someone is gone? In this episode, we follow two very different paper trails. Marci Pelzer shares the 109-page list her father kept of more than 3,500 books he read over six decades. After going viral, his private habit became a public window into his life. Dan Fogel lost his wife of 45 years to cancer, and then found diaries including writing that made him question how well he really knew her. Together, these stories are about grief, memory, mystery, and the strange power of paper to preserve not just facts, but personality, silence, love, and what still can’t be explained. Suggested episodes: What's in that note? Stories about messages in bottles The weight of family secrets: Finding freedom in the truth GUESTS: Marci Pelzer: The daughter of Dan Pelzer, who left behind a 109-page handwritten list of every book he read from 1962 to 2023. After his death at 92, she helped bring the list to a wider audience Dan Fogel: Wrote a Huffington Post essay about finding his late wife Sue’s journals after her death and realizing how much of her inner life had remained unknown to him during their 45-year marriage Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mascots: They’re furry, funny, and just a little funky. But what's actually going on in there? Tom Burgoyne shares what it’s been like to embody the Phillie Phanatic for over three decades. Mikaela Higgins reveals how her company became a giant in the world of mascot-makers, designing icons from Ronald McDonald to the Energizer Bunny. And hear how one “yes“ changed the life of Conor Geary, whose turn as a mascot led to a dream sports gig he never saw coming. This episode originally aired on August 29, 2025. Suggested episode: Banjo Man, 'Woo Woo' Wickers and UConn Huskies superfans share their love of the game GUESTS: Tom Burgoyne: “Best friend” of the Phillie Phanatic, who has been bringing the Phanatic to life for 37 years. He’s also the author of Pheel The Love! How the Most Powerful Force in the Universe Builds Great Companies - Phillie Phanatic Style! Mikaela Higgins: Manager of Mascot Sales at Olympus Mascots in Milwaukee, WI Conor Geary: Known as “GameDay Conor“, he's been the high-energy host at every major venue in Connecticut, starting out with the Hartford Yard Goats in 2018. This season, he became the stadium host for the New England Patriots Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taxidermied dogs. A CIA agent's hat. A perfume that made strangers on elevators lose their composure. This is what happens when you pull names from a vase at a brewery and say: show us something you love, and tell us why. Our fourth live Show and Tell at Little Red Barn Brewers in Winsted, Connecticut delivered exactly what this format always delivers: stories that are intimate, hilarious, and impossible to predict. Even for us. Suggested episodes: Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Stamford Audacious Live! Show & Tell birthday bash in Hartford Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Willimantic: From rare computers to hand grenades GUESTS: Jon Barbagallo: Director of Sales at Little Red Barn Brewers, who brought a styrofoam curling rock that was used as a movie prop Jill Bowen: New Haven resident, who brought Doggie, her stuffed animal Lauren Pierson-Gallagher: New Milford resident, who brought a bottle of Shalimar perfume, her late mother’s signature scent Gerri Griswold: Director of Administration & Development at the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, who brought a taxidermied dog in a display case Nils Johnson: Co-founder & President of Little Red Barn Brewers, who brought an 1861 one-dollar note issued by The Winsted Bank Theresa Taylor: Canton resident, who brought her late father’s British bowler hat Nora Pasco: New Britain resident, who brought her Persephone rosary beads Caroline Christensen: Winsted resident, who brought a conch shell Alex Harper: Winsted resident, who brought her service dog’s harness Terry Wolfisch Cole: Simsbury resident, who brought a tin of 100-year-old Ramses condoms from her late uncle’s collection of antique pharmaceutical containers Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fewer than 10% of truck drivers are women, and in this episode, you’re going to meet three of them. Spend the day with Chion and a tow truck driver, get to know a woman who runs a CDL training school, and hear about life on the road from a truck driver who happens to be a trans woman. This episode originally aired on January 13, 2023. GUESTS: Chantel Comerford: A driver for Meagan’s Towing & Recovery out of Danbury, Connecticut. She lives in Sandy Hook Michele Howard: Owner of Affordable CDL Training School in Colchester, Connecticut Hope Alexander: Host of the podcast, Simply Live with Hope, where she talks about being a trans woman and her 12 years in the trucking industry. She lives in Georgia Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine feeling an unbearable itch, convinced that tiny insects are crawling under your skin. But no doctor believes you. You try to prove it, collecting samples, documenting everything. But under a microscope? Nothing is there. That was Paula Cox’s experience with delusional infestation, a rare disorder where people are absolutely certain they’re infested with bugs, despite all evidence to the contrary. In this episode, Paula shares her harrowing experience, and experts - a leading entomologist and a psychiatrist-dermatologist - explain what’s really happening in the brain and how healing is possible. Suggested episodes: Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire When every face you see is distorted: Living with PMO GUESTS: Dr. Gale Ridge: an entomologist and Associate Scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven. She oversees the daily activities of the insect inquiry office. She’s also the editor of The Physician's Guide to Delusional Infestation Paula Cox: a woman in Australia who experienced delusional infestation. She started a Facebook support group called “Delusional parasitosis help” Dr. John Koo: a Professor of Dermatology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center and Director of the UCSF Psoriasis Skin and Treatment Center. He is board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry and co-author of Morgellons Disease: High Yield Principles for Clinical Practice Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What kind of person looks at a Boeing 727 and thinks, yes, I should live there? Or boards a cruise ship and decides never to go back to a traditional home? Bruce Campbell is a 76-year-old engineer and pilot who has spent more than 25 years living in a retired jetliner in the Oregon woods. Angelyn and Richard Burk are a married couple who turned loss, an enthusiasm for minimalism, and a love of travel into an everyday existence at sea. They share wisdom about home, routine, freedom, minimalism, and staying put. Suggested episodes: Audacious at sea: Wisdom from strangers on a cruise ship GUESTS: Bruce Campbell: 76-year-old engineer who has lived in a retired Boeing 727 in the woods of Hillsboro, Oregon, since 1999. He welcomes visitors from around the world into the airplane home he built after deciding a conventional house no longer made sense for him Angelyn and Richard Burk: Married couple from the Seattle area who have been living as cruise nomads since 2021. After losing all their belongings in a moving-truck fire in 2013, they embraced minimalism and now spend much of the year making cruise ships their home Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Obituaries are meant to mark an end. But sometimes they start a whole new conversation. First, Andy Corren, whose funny, biting, tender obituary for his mother captured so much life that it went viral and became a memoir. Then, Sallie Hammett, whose loving obituary for her dog Charlie rippled across the internet and moved countless strangers. And finally, we talk with professional obituary writer Jamie Passaro about what makes an obit memorable, honest and worth reading. Suggested episodes: Rethinking funerals with the Coffin Confessor, living eulogies, and designer caskets What death investigators can tell you about life GUESTS: Andy Corren: Writer and author of Dirtbag Queen, a memoir that grew out of the viral obituary he wrote for his mother, Renay Sallie Hammett: South Carolina writer whose heartfelt obituary for her dog, Charlie, went viral after she shared it online Jamie Passaro: Professional obituary writer and founder of Dear Person Obits; she also co-founded Elegy.us, an online obituary platform Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s a sentence that invites the universe to call your bluff? “I could do that!” Meet three people who said it, and then had to live it. Christopher Lamar runs Lunar Embassy, a company that sells deeds to plots on the Moon and other celestial bodies. Logan Goodspeed learns what happens when you casually claim you could run a marathon “with 24 hours’ notice,” and your spouse takes that seriously. And Mandle Cheung, a tech CEO and devoted music lover, writes a huge check to fund a Mahler concert, so he can conduct the Toronto Symphony Orchestra himself. Suggested episodes: What Happens When You Act Like You Belong GOOD GOURD! A show about pumpkins! TOPS: A woman summits Everest, a man considers a body transplant, and world-record hat-wearing GUESTS: Christopher Lamar: CEO of Lunar Embassy, a company that sells deeds to plots on the Moon and other celestial bodies. The business was founded by his father, Dennis Hope, in 1980 Logan Goodspeed: A 32-year-old software engineer from California who ran the Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon with about 24 hours’ notice and no formal training Mandle Cheung: A 78-year-old technology CEO and amateur conductor who founded Mandle Philharmonic in 2018. In June 2025, he personally funded a one-night performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (“Resurrection”) and conducted the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, and Robyn Doyon-Aitken contributed to this show, with help from Coco Cooley. Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 74, Karen Smith is still chasing the feeling she fell in love with as a kid: the freedom and aliveness of playing sports. After years of sudden pain and uncertainty, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis - news that could have ended her life in athletics. Instead, adaptive equipment helped her keep skiing, and it reshaped how she carried the diagnosis. Through the Gaylord Sports Association, she helped expand a program now offering 17 adaptive sports, and she became a gold medal-winning goalie on Team USA’s women’s sled hockey team. At Choate Ice Rink, she and veteran player Anthony Kuntz introduce Chion to sled hockey, and to Karen’s fierce belief in inclusion and the “dignity of risk.” Suggested episodes: A marathon swimmer and ultrarunner: surviving cancer, breaking records Revealing Our Blind Spots About Blindness GUESTS: Karen Smith: Team manager of the Gaylord Wolfpack sled hockey team and a longtime leader in Connecticut’s adaptive sports community. In her early 60s, she earned the starting goalie position on Team USA’s Women’s Sled Hockey squad at the first IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Women's International Cup in 2014, winning gold alongside teammates decades younger Anthony Kuntz: Gaylord Wolfpack sled hockey player from Colchester, Connecticut, who has spina bifida. He has 22 years of experience in the sport, including four on the U.S. Junior National Team, competing internationally in Vancouver during the 2010 Paralympic Games Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Scotlands, one episode. Scotland One: kilts, haggis, bagpipes, and that irresistible fairground mix of music and muscle at Connecticut’s Scottish Highland Festival & Games! Plus swordplay and the oddly soothing chaos and grunts of Weight Over Bar. Scotland Two: centuries of witch trials, powered by rumor, rubber-stamped by law. Meet Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi of Witches of Scotland, a campaign and podcast working to restore names and dignity to the accused from 1563 to 1736. Suggested episodes: Where We Live - 'Before there was Salem, there was Connecticut': State formally pardons accused witches Where We Live - Are witch hunts truly a thing of the past? Dress to unrepress: Women who dressed like men, broke rules and made history Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'? Big E ep? (similar vibe) GUESTS: Benjamin Elzerman: flute player from East Hartford, CT Haley Hewitt: harpist from Manchester, CT John Morahn: instructor at Western Swordsmanship Technique and Research (WSTR) from Ashford, CT Eric Lewis: weight over bar competitor at The Scottish Highland Festival and Games from Woburn, MA Christopher Annino: weight over bar competitor at The Scottish Highland Festival and Games from Groton, CT John H Spencer: the only living founding member of The Scottish Highland Festival and Games Reggie Patchell: Co-Chairman and Vice President of Scotland Connecticut Highland Festival Committee Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi: founders of Witches of Scotland, a campaign seeking justice for the roughly 4,000 people - mostly women - accused of witchcraft in Scotland between 1563 and 1736, many of whom were executed Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unexpected death leaves survivors with a single relentless question: what happened? Three forensic experts share how they investigate the dead to bring clarity to the living. Dr. Cori Breslauer, an associate medical examiner in Connecticut, describes the realities of autopsies, trauma, and truth-telling. Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, who pioneered forensic genetic genealogy, explains how investigators use DNA and family history to put a name to unidentified remains, and bring long-delayed answers to families. And retired forensic pathologist Dr. Cindy Hoeflinger shares what it was like to spend a career giving families answers… until she needed answers herself. Suggested episodes: Look For The Helpers: The Anatomy Of A Death Views from the end: David Meyers The Quest For A Good Death GUESTS: Dr. Cori Breslauer: Associate Medical Examiner at Connecticut's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, specializing in forensic pathology Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick: Forensic genetic genealogist, founder of Identifinders International; she pioneered the use of genetic genealogy to solve cold cases Dr. Cindy Hoeflinger: Retired forensic pathologist who investigated sudden and unexplained deaths; she lost her 18-year-old son Brian in a drunk driving crash in 2013 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forget the typical meet-cute; this episode features individuals whose paths crossed in extraordinarily unique circumstances. Alex and Sue Tatham met each other on the globally televised dating show "Blind Date" in the UK, leading to a wedding watched by millions. Heather and Tony are Disney enthusiasts who found love across continents thanks to a dating site for fellow fans, MouseMingle.com And after three years of chatting online, Robbie Romu and Avichai Sofer finally met… Only to have their relationship immediately tested by the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war during their first in-person meeting. Suggested episodes: Audacious Love Playlist GUESTS: Alex & Sue Tatham: a couple who met on the British dating show Blind Date in 1988. Their wedding in 1991 was watched by 17 million people Heather & Tony Lash: Heather from Australia and Tony from Florida met through Mousemingle.com, a dating site for Disney fans, in 2015. They got married at Walt Disney World in 2018 Robbie Romu & Avichai Sofer: Robbie from Canada and Avichai from Israel met on a dating site in 2020. Robbie traveled to Israel to meet Avichai in person for the first time on October 6, 2023, a day before the Israel-Hamas war began Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine being afraid of a pickle. Or a banana. Or a nub of bread. That’s daily life for people with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). It's an eating disorder not driven by weight or body image, but by fear, sensory overwhelm, or low appetite. People with this condition experience real terror and powerful aversions to certain foods - far beyond picky eating. Clinical psychologist Dr. Evelyna Kambanis explains ARFID, who it affects, and how treatment helps people reclaim their lives. Andrew Luber (aka “ARFID Andrew”) shares his funny, blunt, and vulnerable attempts at food exposures online. And Danielle Meinert tells the story of carrying ARFID since toddlerhood, and the startling change she says came after a high-dose psilocybin experience. Resources: National Eating Disorders Association - ARFIDAssociation of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated DisordersFamilies Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders Suggested episodes: The hidden hunger of Pica: Stories from people who eat objects Anorexia is complex. Two people talk frankly about their decades-long journeys GUESTS: Dr. Evelyna Kambanis: Licensed clinical psychologist in the Eating Disorders Clinical & Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. She is involved in clinical care and research on ARFID Andrew Luber, aka ARFID Andrew: Los Angeles filmmaker and social media creator who documents food exposures with humor under the tagline, “Conquering my fear of food one laugh at a time” Danielle Meinert: Lived with ARFID for 27 years after a major shift in her relationship with food following ear surgery as a toddler. After years of trying traditional approaches, she described experiencing a dramatic change after a session using psilocybin Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How brave can a nine-year-old be? We follow Lola Fraisse from Kidderminster, England, as she leaves home for six months to live with a host family in Lüneburg, Germany. She learns a new language, new rules, and new ways to see herself. Along the way, Lola grows her confidence, builds friendships, and even picks up a slight German accent! We also hear from Lola’s mom, Jennie, who did a childhood exchange herself and knows exactly what this kind of leap can set in motion for a life. And we meet Sylvie, Lola’s host mom, on welcoming a child into your family, and then saying goodbye. After Lola returns to England, the story flips: her exchange sister Hanna comes to stay, and the girls describe what it’s like to become sisters on purpose. Suggested episodes: Francesca Abroad: Following an American high school student’s year in Sarajevo Salaar Stateside! Following a Pakistani high school student’s year in the US GUESTS: Lola Fraisse: a girl from Worcestershire, England, who embarked on a student exchange in Germany for six months when she was nine years old through the ALLEF program Jennie Fraisse: Lola’s mother, who was an exchange student herself at a young age. Her family hosted Lola’s exchange partner, Hanna Hanna Michaelis: a girl from Northern Germany and Lola’s exchange partner. Hanna’s family hosted Lola for six months, and Hanna spent six months in England with Lola’s family Sylvie Michaelis: Hanna’s mother and Lola’s host mom Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After cancer, one woman swam farther than anyone ever had in a lake. Another ran 104 marathons in 104 days on a carbon-fiber running blade. Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas returned to the water following aggressive breast cancer and went on to complete multiple record-setting open-water swims. And Jacky Hunt-Broersma lost her leg to bone cancer, then redefined endurance one marathon at a time. Their stories are about ambition, adaptation, and the audacity to ask the body for more. Suggested episodes: From wingsuit BASE jumping to record-breaking South Pole expeditions with Ellen Brennan Frat and Liv Arnesen What a runner’s high feels like when you’re 105 years old What it’s like to be allergic to water Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records GUESTS: Sarah Thomas: marathon swimmer who holds multiple world records for the longest current-neutral swims ever completed, including a 104.6-mile swim in Lake Champlain. After aggressive breast cancer treatment, she returned to the water and became the first person to complete four consecutive crossings of the English Channel Jacky Hunt-Broersma: an ultrarunner and amputee who lost her left leg to bone cancer at age 26. In 2022, she ran 104 marathons in 104 consecutive days on a carbon-fiber running blade, setting a Guinness World Record and raising nearly $200,000 to help other amputees access running prosthetics. Her memoir, Duct Tape and Determination: A True Story of Turning Devastation into Grit, is coming out in August 2026 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet two men who survived suicide attempts, and built lives around helping others imagine a future beyond despair. Kevin Hines, one of the few to survive a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, reflects on the instant regret, the long recovery, and the tools he uses when “brain pain” returns - recorded just days before the 25th anniversary of his attempt. Then, Connecticut therapist Steve MacHattie shares what it means to live with chronic suicidal urges, after his first attempt at six years old, and how reaching for connection can change the outcome. Resources: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741 Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board In an emergency, please call or text 911 Suggested episodes: 911, What's Your Emergency? Tales From Dispatch Finding purpose in life after accidentally killing someone What it's like surviving a plane crash Equine therapy GUESTS: Kevin Hines: suicide attempt survivor, author, film producer, and mental health advocate. At 19, he survived a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the past 25 years, he has dedicated himself to suicide prevention, sharing his story to reduce stigma and help people through moments of crisis. Kevin is the author of Cracked, Not Broken, The Art of Being Broken, and The Art of Wellness, hosts the HINESIGHTS podcast, and was a leading voice in the effort to install safety nets on the Golden Gate Bridge. His latest documentary, Death Bridge, is set to be released in 2027 Steve MacHattie: a suicide attempt survivor, clinical social worker (LCSW), and founder of the Charter Oak Family Center in Manchester, Connecticut. He first attempted suicide at six years old, and today he supports clients ages 5 to 105 and serves as co-chair of the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board’s Lived Experience Committee. He also writes poetry used in clinical trainings to help care providers see the humanity and strength in the people they serve Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TV shows and movies set in places like field offices, courtrooms and hospitals entertain us, sure... But they also tell us something - about crime, medicine, danger, and heroism. So who makes sure they don’t get it wrong? Meet three entertainment consultants whose real jobs exist far beyond the screen: a former FBI profiler behind Criminal Minds, an ER doctor, who advised on The Pitt, and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, who worked on the Amazon film Space Cadet. They reveal what Hollywood gets right, what it often misses, and the surprising responsibility that comes with shaping what millions of people believe. Suggested episodes: Behind The Screens: Hollywood Hairstyling, Coordinating Intimacy, And Illustrating The Great British Bake Off Becoming fluent in English by watching 3 hours of American and British television every day Behind The Screens: Dressing Schitt’s Creek, Special Effects Make-Up, and Casting Queer Eye Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis When actors teach: Embodying the lives of an enslaved woman and a medical patient Who decides? Ethicists help doctors and patients answer big, nuanced questions GUESTS: Jim Clemente: Former FBI special agent and prosecutor, who spent more than 20 years working in criminal behavioral profiling and became an entertainment consultant, writer, and producer on the Criminal Minds series Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah: Emergency medicine physician, EMS medical director, and educator, who also serves as a medical consultant for the Emmy Award-winning HBO series, The Pitt Nicole Stott: NASA astronaut, engineer, artist, and author, who spent more than 100 days living and working in space. She also consults on film and television, including the Amazon movie Space Cadet Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet two influential voices in autism advocacy whose lives and work have reshaped how the world understands neurodiversity. Dr. Temple Grandin - a scientist, author, and animal behavior expert - reflects on growing up autistic, thinking in pictures, and building a career by leaning into the way her mind works. And Dr. Kerry Magro, an autism advocate, speaker, and consultant on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, shares his path from being nonverbal to becoming a public voice for autism, and why accurate representation can change lives. Suggested episode: A conversation with 12 year-old Sophie Rupolo, who has Williams Syndrome, and her mom GUESTS: Dr. Temple Grandin: Scientist, author, and professor whose work in animal behavior has transformed livestock handling around the world. Her life and thinking were introduced to a global audience through the HBO film Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes, and through her books, including Thinking in Pictures, which helped change how autism is understood by clinicians, families, and the public Dr. Kerry Magro: Autism advocate, professional speaker, and author who was nonverbal until age 2.5 and did not speak in complete sentences until age 7. He is a consultant on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum and works with schools, companies, and media organizations to challenge stereotypes and promote accurate, human portrayals of autistic lives Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some rituals are spiritual. Some are silly. Some are inherited, and some are self-made. Casper ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, walks us through how we create all sorts of meaningful, grounding rituals. And you'll hear clips from past two years of Audacious guests who have shared the rituals that matter most to them, from morning journaling and bedtime affirmations to pre-show sign-slapping. Whether you've already got your rituals down pat, or are still developing your own special routine, this episode shows you how to honor the sacred in the everyday. This episode originally aired on May 17, 2025. Suggested episodes: Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk Why you so salty? The anger episode Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments GUESTS: Casper ter Kuile: author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices. He holds Master's degrees in Divinity and Public Policy from Harvard University, and is a co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-hosts the podcast, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text Audacious guests who shared their personal rituals (in order of appearance): Dean Edwards, Jessica Jin, Kristen Geez, Anna Holland, Lena Khalal Tuffaha, Chris Crowe, Bruce W Brackett, Moon Ribas, Azie Dungey, Pony Tromper, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Paul Marcarelli, Brad White, Begoña Gómez Urzaiz, Dr. Gale Ridge, Mehdi Hasan, Stephanie Courtney, Rosanna Ramos, Sonya Horton, Greg Viloria, Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers, Zarna Garg, Jada Star, Luis Mojica, RoseMarie Wallace, Mindy Glickman, David Roche, Paul Gladis, and Arwen, Aidan, and Willow Gladis Perez-Sauquillo Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a mother can’t raise her children? Not out of neglect, but because systems, partners, and survival leave her no real choice? This episode challenges the assumptions we place on “non-custodial mothers.” Rebekah Spicuglia explains how immigration rules, economic pressure, and unequal power led to her relinquishing custody of her son, Oscar, and how she channels her grief after his murder into research on gun violence and family separation. And from Cameroon, Marie Abanga shares why escaping abuse meant leaving her three young sons behind. For a full transcript of this episode, click here. Suggested episodes: Life after Parkland: A victim's dad turns to art and activism The weight of family secrets: Finding freedom in the truth The reality of 'Forever Parenting' when your child needs lifetime care GUESTS: Rebekah Spicuglia: bereaved mother, writer, advocate, and PhD student in Health Policy & Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She focuses on gun violence and family separation, drawing on her own lived experience to inform her work Marie Abanga: Cameroonian author and mental health advocate whose 2011 decision to give up custody of her children guides her mission to support others facing loss, stigma, and recovery Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Step into the technicolor world of PEZ! We tour the Connecticut factory where more than 12 million tiny candies are pressed each day, guided by archivist Shawn Peterson, whose personal collection helped shape the Visitor Center. Meet Brian Trauman, the Guinness World Record holder whose thousands of dispensers trace a lifetime of joyful obsession. Hear Emily Tracy’s tender, funny, heartbreaking story about the PEZ tattoo she got to honor her mother. And the hosts of PEZamania, the world’s largest PEZ convention, talk about how nostalgia and candy become community. Suggested episodes: Discovering delight - and despair - in dumpster diving We have to talk about cuddle parties Take a tour of the John Zaffis Museum of the Paranormal Pawn queens: Tales and treasures from women pawn shop owners Audacious at sea: Wisdom from strangers on a cruise ship GUESTS: Shawn Peterson: Company archivist and historian at PEZ Candy, Inc. in Orange, CT. He manages the PEZ Visitor Center, where much of the collection on display comes from his own personal archive. He is also the author of PEZ: From Austrian Invention to American Icon and Collector’s Guide to PEZ: Identification and Price Guide Brian Trauman: Owns the world's largest Pez collection and holds the Guinness World Record for “largest candy dispenser collection.” He has been collecting since 1999 and owns more than 6,400 dispensers Morgan Rhinehart and Landon Proctor: hosts of PEZamania in Ohio – the longest running collector convention in the world, established in 1991 Emily Tracy: Manchester resident who memorialized her PEZ-collecting mom with a tattoo of her head on top of a PEZ dispenser Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A wise woman once said, “You can tell the ocean anything, but it has to be the truth.“ Chion Wolf boards the MSC Meraviglia expecting a week of small talk and sunscreen. But the farther she gets from land, the more people become willing to hang out in the deep end to talk about love, loss, faith, sobriety and stories they’ve been holding onto for years. When they speak, the ocean listens. And in this hour, so do you. Listen to a BONUS track featuring more voices from the ship: Latisha from the Bronx; Vincent Ferrito and Lauren Englemann from Brooklyn, NY; Brittney and Jeana Lockhart from New Bedford, MA; Henry Armbrister, Barbara Williams, Dellie Maycock, and Giovanni Ferguson from Nassau, Bahamas. Suggested episodes: The Big E: What it takes to create 17 days of magic Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time It's A Brand Nude Day! Discovering delight - and despair - in dumpster diving Welcome to the Punderdome! We're entering NYC's punniest pun competition SOLD! Audacious Auctioneers Plus, Advice on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, a project Chion did interviewing passengers on a 48-hour train ride GUESTS: A segment: Keith Miller from Long Island, NY; Kevin Luong from New York, NY; Vin Panday from Ontario, Canada; Jessica Struble from Holly, PA; Ruby Selver from Turks and Caicos; and Marty and Mary Pasternak from Buffalo, NY B segment: Mike Turner from Levittown, PA; Brian Martignetti from El Paso, TX; Darrell Floyd from New Haven, CT; and Randy Deveaux and Sylvia Wilson from Nassau, Bahamas C segment: Joe and Valerie Leone from Blue Bell, PA; Tommy and Cindy Lazarz from Ware, MA; John and Ada Sue Siler from Richmond, VA; and Javier and Angela Mahon from Brooklyn, NY Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahoy! Here’s a little bonus treasure from our episode, Audacious at Sea: Wisdom from Strangers on a Cruise Ship. Chion spends a blissful vacation week aboard the MSC Meraviglia with about 5,000 fellow humans, sailing from Brooklyn to the Bahamas and back. And because we couldn’t fit everyone she talks with into the on-air version, this bonus gives you even more of their voices and stories. Somewhere in between sunrise coffees and late-night pizza buffets, Chion asks passengers - and a few locals in Nassau, Bahamas - to share their favorite piece of life advice. That opens the door to conversations that go way beyond advice, and into the values that people have carried with them much of their lives. GUESTS: Latisha from the Bronx Vincent Ferrito and Lauren Englemann from Brooklyn, NY Brittney and Jeana Lockhart from New Bedford, MA Henry Armbrister, Barbara Williams, Dellie Maycock, and Giovanni Ferguson from Nassau, Bahamas Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you leave your family, friends, home, and job to move over a thousand miles away to take care of a pet squirrel? Meet two people who did just that for 8 year-old Thumbelina. Then, meet a birdkeeper at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who was chosen by an endangered crane to be her life partner for almost 20 years. This episode originally aired on September 13, 2024. Listen to an updated conversation with Chris Crowe, including his experience getting his first tattoo - a giant portrait of Walnut. Suggested episodes: Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals Birdwatching legend Peter Kaestner's journey to 10,000 birds Audacious kids: Stories of courage, conservation, and compassion GUESTS: Christina and Michael Reyes: The human parents of Thumbelina, an eight-year-old squirrel who has more than two million followers on social media Chris Crowe: Birdkeeper at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s campus in Front Royal, Virginia, and caretaker of Walnut, an endangered white-naped crane from 2004 until her death in January 2024 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We recently rebroadcast our Audacious episode featuring Chris Crowe. He's a bird keeper at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s campus in Front Royal, Virginia. He spent nearly twenty years as the chosen partner of an endangered white-naped crane named Walnut. She was one of only 5,000 in the world, but to Chris, she was one of a kind. Walnut's life expectancy as a bird living in captivity was 15 years. But she died at the age of 42 on January 2, 2024. In that original episode, just five months after her death, I spoke with Chris about their life together. And from the responses we got, their life together deeply resonated with you. Which is why we decided to rebroadcast it! But then something remarkable happened. A few hours after we decided to publish that rerun, I saw a post from Chris on Facebook: He just got his first tattoo - a giant portrait of Walnut. When the universe lines things up that precisely, I pay attention. So I reached out to him. I wanted to ask what moved him to get this tattoo now, how it feels to carry her on his arm, and how he’s doing as the two-year anniversary of her death approaches. Photo and tattoo by Maggie Cho.Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people “age gracefully.” These three women age audaciously! 91 year-old comedian, D’yan Forest, commands the stage with her ukulele and sharp wit, spinning the stories of her long life into laughter. Family law attorney Harriet Newman Cohen, 92, is the kind of lawyer who changed history for LGBTQ+ families and plans on never stopping. And Charlotte Guttenberg, the 77-year-old Guinness World Record holder for most-tattooed female senior citizen, started inking her body in her fifties and turned herself into a living, breathing work of art. Suggested episodes: Audacious Elders Change of art: Stories about tattoo coverups GUESTS: D’yan Forest: 91-year-old Guinness World Record holder for oldest female comedian, just released her new full-length solo show, A Gefilte Fish Out Of Water Harriet Newman Cohen: 92-year-old founding partner of Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP, where she is a negotiator and trial attorney who handles all aspects of matrimonial and family law. She is the author of Passion and Power: A Life in Three Worlds Charlotte Guttenberg: 77-year-old Guinness World Record holder for most tattooed female senior citizen Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who rejoices in making a bad episode of public radio? We do! But only the best kind of bad. On this episode of Audacious, meet Jon from Jon Breaks Bad News, who delivers other people’s worst messages for a living. Then, the co-founders of the Golden Raspberry Awards - also known as the Razzies - celebrate Hollywood’s most spectacular cinematic failures. And finally, a few listeners share their stories of terrible dates, followed by a conversation with Rachel Lithgow. She shares her memoir, My Year of Really Bad Dates. Suggested episodes: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate Nothing goes as planned: A first-time offender’s prison story from arrest to release How regret teaches us to live GUESTS: Jon Breaks Bad News: Creator and host of the Jon Breaks Bad News Show, delivering difficult or awkward messages on behalf of others John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy: Creators of the Razzie Awards Michelle Horsley, Maria Grove, Lindsay Ewing: Audacious listeners who had really bad dates Rachel Lithgow: Author of My Year of Really Bad Dates Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a Brooklyn woman who identifies as queer, liberal, vegan, and an atheist donates her kidney to a conservative Christian man from Virginia? Kerry Kennedy and Joey Shervey tell the story of what it looks like when compassion outvotes everything else. Their transplant crossed party lines and personal beliefs to create an unexpected friendship. Then, Lindsay Vigue describes how a small flyer on the wall of a diner led her to become a living kidney donor, and then to becoming the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut. Resources: Donate Life Connecticut National Kidney Foundation National Kidney Registry OrganDonor.gov Former Middletown mayor Dan Drew's TED Talk about why he donated his kidney Suggested episode: The Story Of The First African American Face Transplant GUESTS: Joey Shervey: Kidney transplant recipient from Moneta, Virginia Kerry Kennedy: Living kidney donor from Brooklyn, New York Lindsay Vigue: Living kidney donor and the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.