Stories in Life. On the Radio with Mark and Joe.

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Lake Superior is not just cold, it’s demanding. The weather can turn fast, the waves hit differently than the ocean, and a shipwreck that felt “familiar” a decade ago may have collapsed into something sharp, dark, and dangerous today. We sit down with Stephen B. Daniel, an accomplished...

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Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback What would you learn if you crossed international borders with only a 26-liter backpack and a belief that most people are kind? We sit down with friend Dean Fromm, a Colorado based traveler who’s visited 109 countries, to unpack how light gear, slow plans, and open eyes can turn the wor...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Support the show

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback What happens when you strip away the complexities of modern life and spend five months walking 2,650 miles through some of America's most breathtaking landscapes? Mary and Jason Kosch did exactly that when they hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican border to Canada, and th...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Death often reveals what truly matters in life. When our friend Gary Anderson passed unexpectedly last October, we found ourselves reflecting on the extraordinary power of enduring friendship and its ability to shape our lives in profound ways. This special episode brings together the v...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Superintendent Laurie Putnam shares her inspiring vision for public education, emphasizing hope, truth, unity and growth in the St. Cloud Area Schools District. Through candid discussions on leadership challenges, the importance of diverse representation, and an innovative community sch...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Explore the future of with Dr. Lorin Robinson, a distinguished journalist and author, as he unveils the real-world strategies needed to combat the relentless march of global warming. Dr. Robinson, who has spent years dissecting the complexities of climate change, provides a sobering loo...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Finding genuine male friendships and expressing emotions can be a complex journey, especially when faced with societal expectations. Join us for a heart-to-heart conversation with our lifelong friend, Neil J Meyer, as we break down the intricate dynamics of male companionship at differe...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Meg Kissinger, a distinguished journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist, takes us on an intimate journey through her life and work as she shares stories from her memoir, "While You Were Out." Raised in a family shadowed by mental health and addiction issues, Meg unveils the sile...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback In this episode you will be transported to 1932, right in the middle of the Great Depression, as we sit down with the incredible Kruschel siblings: Bill, Dee Dee, and Fritz, ages 99, 98, and 96. We promise you’ll learn not only about their struggles but also the heartwarming moments tha...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Join us as we share the remarkable life of Bill Kruschel, an extraordinary 99-year-old, whose journey from a World War II Navy medic to a beloved member of the White Bear Lake community is nothing short of inspiring. This episode paints a vivid portrait of Bill's early years in St....

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback This is the second episode featuring child psychiatrist, Dr. William Dikel.  Dr. Dikel  pulls back the curtain on the often overlooked role that education systems play in addressing the mental health needs of children and youth. Dr. Dikel helps unravel the complexities facing schools th...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Embark on an enlightening exploration of the complex world of children's mental health with us, as we sit down with child psychiatrist, Dr. William Dikel.  As a vanguard in child psychiatry, Dr. Dikel offers a wealth of knowledge on how our societal systems can better support youth...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback When the gentle hum of an engine gives way to eerie silence, the vast expanse of Lake Superior transforms from a peaceful oasis into a formidable beast. This is the chilling setting that Mark and Julie Wolak bravely stepped into, and their fight against the capricious whims of nature ta...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Join us, your hosts Mark and Joe, as we look back on a year where Stories in Life shared  tales of human spirit and determination. We reflect on connections made across 20 countries and bonds with over a thousand followers who've become part of our journey.  We relive the moments o...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback This episode unfurls a captivating tapestry where our friend, Dr. Mark Larson shares a theory of the emergence of the 'age of the heart,' a transformative shift in societal values where empathy and emotional intelligence reign supreme. Listen as we sketch the lineage of societ...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Ever wondered about the sheer transformative power of gratitude and giving?  Join us on an inspiring journey as we share this incredible story of gratitude and meaningful community change. Hear several first-hand accounts from Dan Kuzlik, whose humble beginnings in Chicago led him to de...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Do you remember your favorite teacher? The one who not only taught you academic knowledge but also shaped you into a better individual? Our guest, Emily Boyle is an experienced middle school teacher who embodies these qualities and more. Her knack for building a meaningful relationship...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Imagine being a kid again, sitting in a classroom, listening to your teacher passionately discuss how important it is to learn and to be your best person. Then imagine seeing that same teacher put her heart into making sure that you are seen, heard, respected and asked to be a responsib...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback  As the hosts of Stories in Life, Mark Wolak and Joe Boyle take time to reflect on the journey so far. Stories In Life - On the Radio with Mark and Joe has reached over 525 downloads across 15 countries and 125 cities and towns at the halfway marker of this first season! We reflect on o...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback This is the third episode of a three-part story told in detail by Alphonse Wolak, a young soldier who enlisted in the Air Force and served as a side gunner in a B-24 Liberator in WW2.   Alphonse Wolak was 18 when he enlisted and shares his raw and riveting tales from the frontlines of E...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Ever wondered what it was like to be a side gunner in World War II? Prepare to be transported back in time as we hear from Alphonse Wolak, a B-24 Liberator gunner, who lived through the harrowing experience of being shot down and captured by German soldiers. Guided by his first hand sto...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback You're about to embark on a memorable journey through time, as we sit down with my Uncle Alphonse Wolak to share his unforgettable experiences serving in the now famous Eighth Air Force during World War II. From the moment he enlisted at Fort Snelling at 18 years old, to flying har...

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback This week, we're on board with Gary W. Anderson, a sailor and friend, with a serious knack for adventure and an unforgettable story. We set our course to Lake Superior, the largest fresh water lake in the world, where Gary and his crew find themselves stranded on Cat Island, with n...