Back from Broken

The season ends with Vic Vela coming to terms with one of the biggest health scares of his life, while also navigating an emotional, historic championship run for his beloved Denver Nuggets. Over the last few months Vic recorded audio diaries of his experiences. He shares some of his best and worst days as he copes with a health crisis that nearly took his life — along with edge-of-your seat playo...

Matthew Fisher always felt like an outsider. He struggled to make friends and was overcome by mood swings. By age 13, he turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. His father, Steven, watched from the sidelines, desperately trying to help his son. This is the story of how a father and son found recovery and healed their rocky relationship. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes...

Khadi Oluwatoyin was always a high achiever. She excelled in law school and got her dream job, as a lawyer in New York City, in her early twenties. Racial and gender barriers didn’t stop her. Nothing stood in the way of her career, except alcohol. But when Khadi sought help for her drinking, she often found she was the only Black woman in the room. So she created her own recovery group for Black w...

Aaron Taylor was a standout athlete at the University of Notre Dame. He went on to become a Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers. But behind all that success, Aaron was a high-functioning alcoholic. After an injury ended his career, Aaron had to come to terms with his addiction and heal the childhood trauma he had never addressed. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken so...

Pebe Sebert's dreams of becoming a professional songwriter started coming true when Dolly Parton recorded one of her songs and it became a hit. But Pebe felt like a fish out of water, and she used alcohol to deal with those feelings. Other drugs came into the mix, too. But after she had her daughter Kesha, Pebe knew something had to change -- and years later, Kesha became the pop star Pebe always...

Growing up, Natalie Hodges practiced the violin every moment she could. She was good, and the practice made her excellent. She started down the path of becoming a professional violinist until debilitating performance anxiety put a wrench in her dreams. But it helped her discover the root of her problems -- and put her on the road to recovery. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken...

Drew Robinson was a talented professional baseball player. It seemed like all his goals were coming to fruition. But he couldn't shake a sense of deep inadequacy. Those feelings eventually brought him to the darkest moment of his life. In that moment, he realized he was here for good reasons, and he committed to living. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we n...

Like her father, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, Carnie Wilson found solace and joy in music. She started the group Wilson Phillips with her sister and childhood friend. But then, it turned out she inherited some of her father's addiction issues, too. With the help of her community, she rose from her darkest place. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need h...

We’re back with more stories about the highest highs, the darkest moments and what it takes to make a comeback. Back From Broken returns on July 7, with more emotional and raw storytelling, joyful moments and hope. Make sure you’re following Back From Broken wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss an episode And if you're already following us, do us a favor: Share Back from Broken with a...

When journalist Ted Jackson set out to do a story on homelessness, he never imagined he'd meet a former NFL player who'd made it to three Super Bowls. But there was unhoused Jackie Wallace, a former cornerback facing a long journey of recovery. After Ted wrote a story about Jackie, the two became good friends. But then, as the years passed, Jackie disappeared -- twice. Yet Ted refused to let Jacki...

Morgan Sinclair wrestled with his identity as a trans man growing up. He turned to drugs to numb his feelings, and struggled with addiction. As a teen, he found a way to break free through rehab, as well as Denver's unique 5280 High School. Now, at age 19, he's four years sober, out and proud -- and has his whole life ahead of him. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes,...

Lissa Yellow Bird-Chase is an Arikara woman who, after years of struggling with addiction and abusive relationships, has found healing, recovery, and purpose in investigating unsolved murders. The story of her spiritual path to recovery is memorable and moving. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can fi...

Leah V got married young. Her relationship was tumultuous, with high highs and low lows -- including a physical altercation that ended with Leah in jail. But therapy changed her life and allowed her to heal. Now, she's a successful writer and social media influencer, and a role model to others. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time...

Actor Jim Belushi is famous for his work on shows like Saturday Night Live and movies like About Last Night. He also knows firsthand the pain of losing a loved one who struggled with drugs. Jim shares moving memories of his late brother John Belushi, and talks about coping with grief and finding a way to move forward. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we nee...

Lynn Chen faced comments about her weight from her family at an early age. Later, when she became an actor, she heard about her weight from her Hollywood colleagues. She developed an eating disorder, but found an unusual way to get help and heal. The actor, who appeared on “Grey's Anatomy,” speaks candidly about food, eating disorders, body image, and boundaries. Back From Broken is a show about h...

At an early age, Shane Price realized he could pour on the charm with women, and at 16 years old he started his career as a pimp. After a violent incident left him shaken, Shane made changes to his life. Today, he works in Black communities as a leading figure in advocating for prison reform. He’s also the director of Power of People Leadership Institute in Minnesota, which offers support to ex-of...

Tierre Caldwell grew up without a father in a violent gang setting in Minneapolis. As a teenager, he developed addictions to drugs and alcohol. After an argument, he shot a man and was sent to prison for seven years. He wound up in solitary for six months, where he had no choice but to stop using and face his demons. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need...

When we can meet each other with empathy and compassion, we can find hope. That is exactly what Back From Broken is all about. And it’s why we’re coming back for a third season. Back From Broken returns on March 4, with some of the most powerful stories we’ve ever told. So please make sure you’re following Back From Broken wherever you get your podcasts.     And if you're already following us, do...

Hunter Biden’s struggle with addiction has been intense — and very public. His battle with alcohol and cocaine addiction came under scrutiny as his father, Joe Biden, ran for president. But with the support of his family, Hunter found the help he needed. His recovery story, which he shared in his book “Beautiful Things,” offers hope to those who are still struggling. Back From Broken is a show abo...

Kevin Griffin was a talented musician who struggled with addiction, felt diretionless in life and eventually became homeless. Until he discovered Buddhism and a recovery program -- and wrote a book that blended the two concepts and helped countless readers struggling with their own addictions. One of those readers was Vic Vela, Back From Broken's host. That connection adds a personal angle to an e...

Tracie Lechman's recovery story starts with a troubled relationship: Her high school boyfriend committed a horrific crime in which four innocent people lost their lives. The fallout left Tracie entangled in the criminal justice system, struggling with addiction and haunted by trauma. Her story is about how recovery can be a long journey, but illustrates that life does get better once you seek help...

Matthew Jarvis grew up in a home where his parents fought a lot, sometimes violently. That situation set the stage for years of difficult relationships and a crack cocaine addiction. But then a realization led Matthew to change his outlook on life -- and ultimately help others with similar challenges. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time...

Elena Joy Thurston was a devout Mormon, and took her faith seriously. Then she fell in love with another woman, and found herself in punishing sessions of what's often called conversion therapy -- a process meant to turn gay people straight. Elena shares the story of how she handled that trauma, learned to accept herself and ultimately find love. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all bro...

As both a student and a teacher, Jessica Dueñas found a sanctuary in the classroom. She was confident, capable and passionate about learning and helping students. But her struggle with alcoholism made her reevaluate her priorities — and the career she loved. Yet somehow, she's more hopeful than before. Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time...

John Evans was a directionless young man who felt a calling to join the military after 9/11. What he witnessed in Iraq rattled him, and he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction for years. But he found help, and now he spends his life helping other veterans who are struggling. This episode was adapted from "Soldiering On," a Back From Broken virtual live event presented by Colo...