SOS: Sharing our Stories

This week on Sharing Our Stories, we sit down with Mark Starcevic, host of the Beyond the Struggle Podcast. Mark talks openly about growing up in a family affected by addiction, the choices that led him to prison, and what it actually took to build a different life. Recovery wasn't just about staying sober it meant changing the way he thought, the people he surrounded himself with, and the habits...

This week on Sharing Our Stories, we sit down with Tanya Gershmel to hear her inspiring journey of recovery, resilience, and transformation. Tanya opens up about her experiences with addiction, the challenges she faced along the way, and the courage it took to build a new life. Through recovery, she discovered not only healing for herself but also a passion for helping others find their own path f...

David Tatum's story is one of resilience, redemption, and purpose. After spending years behind bars and navigating the challenges, trauma, and realities of incarceration, David faced obstacles that could have defined the rest of his life. Instead, he chose a different path. Today, David is a respected leader in Colorado's recovery community and serves others through his work with NAS Recovery Solu...

Meet Ryan Schenk. Sentenced to 32 years in Colorado prison for violent offenses, including seven counts of attempted first degree murder, Ryan spent more than five years in solitary confinement. Most people thought his story was over. Then a Bible with his name on it showed up. Today, after helping distribute more than 14,000 Bibles inside Colorado prisons, Ryan leads Rebel's Redemption and helps...

    In this powerful episode of Sharing Our Stories, we sit down with Rob Lohman—an Addiction Interventionist, Christian Recovery Coach, bestselling author, podcast host, and the founder of Lifted From the Rut .    Rob opens up about his long battle with addiction, mental health struggles, gambling, prison, and the moments that forced him to reevaluate everything.  Through faith, recovery, and a r...

Lisa Fortner’s journey is one of loss, growth, and healing. Addiction once created distance between her and her son, leaving behind broken trust and missed moments. But through her time in a therapeutic community, Lisa did the hard work by learning accountability, honesty, and how to truly show up. Today, she’s living in recovery and working with DogStar, using her story to support others. Even mo...

Amy's story is how she became "a drunk whisperer" After overcoming addiction, anger, and losing her spiritual connection, she turned her experience into purpose. Today, Amy travels the world and supports individuals and families as an interventionist, bringing a trauma-informed approach rooted in compassion and lived experience. Amy creates space for real change. In the recovery community, she’s k...

Jenny Farina’s story is really powerful. She went from addiction to coping with agoraphobia to conquering it to becoming a Certified Peer and Family Specialist with The Refinery for Change and working with the organization, Safe Places, supporting those impacted by trafficking.  A whole lot of courage and strength running thru her! Now she’s out on East Colfax in Denver, meeting women where they a...

In this episode of Sharing Our Stories, we sit down with Vincent Gutierrez, whose journey is a powerful example of what real, lasting transformation looks like. There was a time when addiction pulled Vincent into serious criminal activity, leading to incarceration and a life headed in the wrong direction. Today, Vincent is living proof that change is possible and sustainable. Through his work at S...

Tonight on Sharing Our Stories, we’re excited to welcome back Denae Tovar from Thornton....better known as T-Town! 😂❤️ (we didnt make that up, she did!) If you’ve been with us for a while, you might remember Denae from when she first shared her story on Facebook. Now, she’s back with us on the radio on Flo 107.1, to open up about how far she’s come and what recovery looks like in her life today. ...

Robby spent years caught in the hustle and consequences of the streets before finding a turning point through a Therapeutic Community (TC) program while incarcerated. That experience reshaped his path. Today, as Co-Founder of Elevate Recovery Homes, Robby pours his energy into guiding people who are fighting the same battles he once faced. His message is simple: change is possible when someone sho...

We are so excited to welcome back Benito "Benny" Martinez.  Benny joined us when he had passed his first year in recovery.  And returns to update us and share for the first time on FLO 107.1  Benny’s journey through addiction led him to the same recovery program that helped save his life, Hazelbrook Sober Living. Today, he gets to work with Hazelbrook TSZ program as a person with lived experience,...

Brittany Tapia used drugs as a way to cope, to numb the hurt and to survive what felt unbearable. What began as an escape slowly turned into addiction, pulling her deeper into a place she never intended to go. Through faith, surrender, and a relationship with God , Brittany found the strength to rebuild her life from the inside out. Her journey is proof that no matter how deep the pain, no matter...

We’re bringing you a story that’s raw, real, and straight from the heart.  Ryan Hobert was running and gunning from a young age. Fast life. Fast money. No brakes. That road led to years behind bars and losses that hit hard, missed funerals, missed moments, missed family. The kind of pain that doesn’t just go away. Rock bottom came when Ryan realized something had to change. And instead of staying...

We share the journey of Josh Rosales, a story rooted in pain, survival, and the power of transformation.  Josh grew up in Montbello, surrounded by challenges most people never have to face. He had his first drink and smoked before the age of ten. By eleven, he was already locked up. Before turning twenty-one, Josh had been shot, stabbed, beaten, and hit by a car, living a life shaped by violence a...

We’re honored to share the story of Tranquility JosieAnne Ballenger, a voice rooted in honesty, healing, and hope. Through her journey and her work, Tranquility is creating space for the conversations that matter most. As the Founder and Owner of Dogstar Recovery, Tranquility is committed to fostering real, meaningful dialogue about life, recovery, growth, and what it looks like to keep showing up...

We’re proud to share the powerful story of Pete, a journey marked by survival, surrender, and second chances.  Pete has lived through more than one coma, spent time in prison, and battled the kind of addiction that takes everything it touches. There were moments when it seemed like the story might end there. But recovery stepped in and gave Pete something he never expected, a second chance at life...

Tabitha knows what it means to survive. She has lived through homelessness, poverty, and the pain of being separated from her children. Through grit, growth, and relentless determination, she rebuilt her life from the ground up.  Today, Tabitha leads a street outreach team supporting people still living on the margins. Tabitha has earned her Master’s degree and is reunited with her children. Her s...

This week, we’re honored to share the powerful story of Kareem Hassan Alaziz Pasha, a journey marked by addiction, deep loss, and life-altering physical trauma, but also by healing, hope, and renewed purpose. Kareem opens up about the moments that nearly broke him and the people who helped carry him when he couldn’t move forward on his own. Through the unwavering love of family and the strength of...

     This week on Sharing Our Stories, we’re honored to welcome Ginger Aber, a powerful example of what recovery in action truly looks like.      Ginger’s journey is one marked by struggle, perseverance, and transformation. After years of addiction, she found healing through the therapeutic community, and that healing opened the door to something bigger than herself. Today, Ginger pours her lived...

We’re honored to welcome Devon Middleton, whose story speaks to both the weight of loss and the hope found on the other side of healing. Devon opens up about walking through seasons marked by grief, pain, and unhealthy relationships, places many of us know all too well. Those experiences shaped him, but they didn’t have the final word. Through recovery, Devon began to find clarity, strength, and a...

We’re honored to welcome Justin Melton, an Army veteran whose journey is a powerful testament to resilience, redemption, and the strength it takes to start again. Justin’s story is marked by battles both seen and unseen. Serving his country, he found himself facing addiction, incarceration, and the weight of choices that pulled him further from the life he wanted. Through hope, discipline, and the...

   Honoring Colorado women making history!  Sharing Our Stories is celebrating Tonya Wheeler, CPFS, and a powerful leader in Colorado’s recovery movement.    Tonya is a founding board member of Advocates for Recovery Colorado and became the organization’s first Executive Director in 2009. With over 30 years in the substance use disorder field, she has worked as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Couns...

We’re honored to welcome Nikki Pelletier, whose story is one of survival, surrender, and transformation. Back on November 17th, 2022, Nikki was in a car accident that should have taken her life. She was dope sick, chasing her next fix, and completely caught in the grip of addiction. But by the grace of God, she walked away with cracked ribs, a concussion, and bruises.  Injuries that could’ve been...

Today on Sharing Our Stories, we’re sitting with a woman whose life reads like a battle between darkness and light… and somehow, light kept finding its way in. Rhiannon grew up in a home filled with chaos, violence, and fear. A childhood shaped by control, manipulation, and trauma. A young mom who never had an example to follow. A daughter who was taught pain instead of love. And when life pushed...