Sick Burn Podcast

Send us Fan Mail At 23, McKenna was living her best life in San Diego when her body started sending warning signals. Pain. Swelling. Fatigue. Tests revealed synovial sarcoma — a rare and aggressive soft tissue cancer that most people have never heard of. It was the kind of diagnosis that stops your world.  But instead of letting cancer write her story, McKenna became the author. What got her throu...

Send us Fan Mail The Sick Burn Podcast is for people stuck between who they were and who they're becoming. After surviving a plane crash in 2019 and six months in a Burn ICU, Thomas Craig rebuilt his life one step at a time. This trailer introduces his story, the mission behind the podcast, and why honest conversations about healing matter. Every episode features real people rebuilding their...

Send us Fan Mail I remember waking up in the hospital after the plane crash — unable to move, unable to speak, in more pain than I thought was possible. Every morning after that, I looked at my hands expecting my fingers to be back. They never were. For months, I was stuck in denial, fighting reality instead of accepting it. And that resistance almost cost me everything. Today we're talking a...

Send us Fan Mail Dan Roth (@danrothconsulting) has spent a lifetime learning how to navigate spaces that weren't built for people like him — and turning that experience into a mission to make the world more inclusive for everyone else.  Diagnosed as neurodivergent in 1989, Dan has spent decades doing the deep work of self-reflection, research, and advocacy. He's an Amazon Best Selling Au...

Send us Fan Mail In this Instagram Live conversation with mental health advocate Will Craig, we explore acceptance — not as giving up, but as focusing your energy on what you actually control. When a plane crash survivor and a man living with a serious medical condition sit down to talk about trauma, loss, and healing, acceptance becomes the thing that sets you free.  Connect with Will at:  • Inst...

Send us Fan Mail Everyone hits a wall. A moment where you don't know how to keep going. I asked every guest on The Sick Burn Podcast the same final question — "What's one piece of advice you'd give to somebody going through their hardest moment?" — and what came back was something I wasn't expecting. Real answers. Raw answers.  The kind you only get from people who&ap...

Send us Fan Mail It’s been a little while since our last full episode, but we’re actively working on what’s next.  In the meantime, I wanted to share something special. On every episode of The Sick Burn Podcast, I ask my guests the same two questions. This is the first one:  What is currently giving you the most amount of peace?  The responses were honest, eye-opening, and a powerful reminder that...

Send us Fan Mail Kody Schaffner’s life is powered by resilience — literally. Living with advanced heart failure, Kody (@justadudeonbatteries) relies on a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a mobile life-support system that keeps his heart pumping and his future moving forward. But Kody’s story isn’t just about survival — it’s about perspective, gratitude, and refusing to let fear define your l...

Send us Fan Mail Miguel Jimenez Vergara is a competitive adaptive athlete, wheelchair racer, and one of the most unstoppable humans you’ll ever meet. From a young age, Miguel felt a deep pull toward movement, competition, and testing both his body and his mind. Over the years, that pull turned into a lifestyle built on consistency, challenge, and an unwavering commitment to becoming better every s...

Send us Fan Mail There came a moment when Lydia Richard (@wounds2wealth) chose to stop letting trauma dictate her life — it would become the beginning of her power.  Lydia is a businesswoman, personal development coach, and mother whose journey from surviving sexual assault to rebuilding her identity is a profound example of what it looks like to transform pain into purpose. Her story isn’t about...

Send us Fan Mail Geoff Real has spent his life proving that strength isn’t defined by what you have — it’s built by what you refuse to give up.  Born with one hand, Geoff refused to let circumstance define him. Through years of dedication, discipline, and mindset work, he transformed what others saw as a limitation into his greatest strength — proving that the real fight is always within.  In this...

Send us Fan Mail Five years ago, Abbey Alexander’s life changed forever.  While teaching English abroad in Cambodia, she was caught in a sudden gas explosion that left her with severe burns across much of her body — and a journey that would test every part of her spirit.  But Abbey’s story is more than survival. It’s about humor in the healing, growth through hardship, and the courage to start aga...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Sick Burn Podcast, we’re bringing you special bonus episode: a live panel straight from San Diego Comic-Con 2025 — “I’m Me & It’s This Game’s Fault!”  Hosted by Kurosh Jozavi of Savepoint Stories, this heartfelt, funny, and sometimes surprising conversation dives into how video games shape who we are. Alongside an incredible group of panelists (including me, T...

Send us Fan Mail At first glance, G. Michael Hopf is a USA Today bestselling author. But behind the shelves of books lies a life shaped by combat, childhood trauma, and the pursuit of identity. A former U.S. Marine, now husband and father, Michael’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the courage to embrace his true self.  In this conversation, we talk about the struggles of finding ident...

Send us Fan Mail Joe Dimeo’s life changed forever after a devastating car crash at just 18 years old that left him with burns over 80% of his body. In 2020, he became the first person in the world to survive a face and double hand transplant — a true medical miracle that gave him a second chance at life.  But Joe’s story isn’t only about surviving the impossible. It’s about unshakable confidence,...

Send us Fan Mail Kevin Mokuahi’s story is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t about never falling — it’s about getting back up, again and again, with more heart, more humor, and more hope than ever before. As a Parkinson’s advocate, endurance cyclist, and community leader, Kevin brings an incredible perspective on what it means to live fully, even in the aftermath of a life-altering diagnosi...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Daniel E. Kennedy’s work is proof that storytelling can be a lifeline for people in their darkest moments. As a Doctor of Social Work, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, and award-winning filmmaker, Daniel has dedicated his career to using film as a tool for healing, hope, and social change.  His latest documentary, 10 Minutes 2 Live , is a powerful exploration of suicid...

Send us Fan Mail Gabe Estrada’s story is proof that passion and perseverance can take you farther than you ever imagined. After immigrating from Mexico, Gabe built a life rooted in family, drive, and creativity. By day, he’s an attorney and business owner. By night, he’s become one of the world’s most respected Star Wars collectors and creators — channeling his love of the galaxy far, far away int...

Send us Fan Mail After losing his wife to cancer, Danny Lesslie found himself in a season of unlayering—grief, job loss, financial hardship, and the weight of fatherhood all hitting at once. But instead of shutting down, Danny chose to move with meaning. In this episode, we talk about what happens when everything you cling to for stability is stripped away, how faith shaped his healing, and what i...

Send us Fan Mail At just 17 years old, Garrison Redd’s life changed in an instant. But that moment didn’t stop him — it became the beginning of a new mission. Today, Garrison is a Paralympian, elite powerlifter, Team USA adaptive climber, motivational speaker, author, and an advocate for purpose-driven life.  In this episode, Garrison shares how he found strength after a spinal cord injury, built...

Send us Fan Mail In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and to celebrate three months of The Sick Burn Podcast (Yee!), host Thomas Craig VIII takes the mic solo to reflect on the journey so far. From sharing stories of resilience and healing to laughing through the scars with incredible guests, this episode is both a thank-you and a look ahead.  Thomas opens up about why this month means so muc...

Send us Fan Mail In March 2021, Rebecca Koltun’s life changed in an instant. A catastrophic skiing accident left her paralyzed from the neck down—but that’s not where her story ends. From hospital beds to speaking stages, Rebecca has become a living testament to resilience, humor, and the power of showing up anyway. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she rebuilt her life post-injury, what drives...

Send us Fan Mail Aloha and welcome to The Sick Burn Podcast, where we explore the bright side of life’s darkest moments. Today’s episode flips the script as Cristina Craig takes over the mic to interview her husband—our very own host, Thomas Craig. From surviving a catastrophic plane crash to rebuilding his life piece by piece, Thomas opens up about his journey through trauma, resilience, and redi...

Send us Fan Mail Marshall Hugh isn’t just the frontman of the Marshall Law Band—he’s a movement. From uplifting protestors with music in Seattle’s CHOP zone to crafting a genre-blending hip-hop album that evolved into a Pulitzer-nominated project, Marshall’s story is a blueprint for purpose-driven art. In this episode, we dive into how music became his protest, how love became his compass, and why...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode, we're honored to welcome John Pendleton, a burn survivor and beacon of resilience. Once a blue-collar worker who faced a life-threatening electrical accident, John now inspires others with his journey from harrowing adversity to hope. Dive into his story as he shares how he overcame immense physical and emotional challenges, transforming his ordeal i...