Never Ever Give Up Hope

A POSITIVE STORY....IN NEGATIVE TIMES

When rising college soccer coach Scott Martin was struck by a rare, flesh-eating infection that took both hands and parts of his feet, doctors told him he was lucky to survive. But survival was not enough. Overnight, the man who lived for the game had to relearn how to move, teach, and live—without the very tools that once defined him.

During Kim Harms's cancer treatment, her middle son became seriously ill and was ultimately diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Many days, Kim felt as though she were drowning. With both conditions bringing lifelong challenges, she learned to thrive and live fully amid ongoing suffering.

Kim Harms is a wife, mom, two-time breast cancer survivor, author, and library assistant. She holds a degree in English from Iowa State University and brings more than two decades of professional writing experience across a wide range of publications.

Kim's interview will help you find...

When Jan Satchel was told he would never be able to move again, he was paralyzed from the shoulders down. But he held on to his faith and visualized himself walking out of the hospital.

In The Strength Within You, Jay Setchell shares his extraordinary life story, highlighting the power of inner strength, resilience, and determination in the face of overwhelming obstacles. From surviving multiple near-death experiences to overcoming lifelong physical challenges, Setchell's story is one of grit and perseverance.

John DeDakis began writing fiction in 1995 while working as an editor at CNN, seeking a creative outlet. His work draws on personal experiences, including a fatal car-train accident he witnessed as a child, his sister's suicide, his son's fatal heroin overdose, and more.

A former White House correspondent and editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," John is now a writing coach, manuscript editor, podcaster, an

After 22 years as a technical instructor in the corporate world—and another layoff—Zander Sprague hit a low point. He asked, "Why am I teaching other people's material when what I want to do is teach my own?" How many of you have had a similar experience?

After becoming deeply involved in New Age practices, Karla Callan hit rock bottom and resolved to leave that life behind. Overwhelmed by despair and living in fear, she called on God.

After eighteen years of involvement in witchcraft and four years in New Age practices, Karla Callan found freedom. She has since written seven books and now hosts two podcasts.

Alicia Rush was in crisis and had reached the point where she no longer wanted to live. She gathered her medication and headed toward the woods, but then remembered it was her son's birthday — a moment that interrupted her plan and helped pull her back.

It was not the only time Alicia felt that level of hopelessness. After thyroid cancer left her living with a tracheostomy, she felt isolated in her trauma and unsure how she could face the rest of her life.

Alicia never imagined that cancer would take away her voice — tw...

At age 14, Nick was in a life-threatening snowboarding accident, and his parents were told he might never walk, talk, or eat on his own again. Against impossible odds, he fought back — and less than 90 days later, he ran out of the hospital.

Today, Nick is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and three-time best-selling author. He created the S.T.E.P. System — Support, Trust, Energy, and Persistence — to help others overcome setbacks and achieve their fullest potential. Once you master this system, there is no limit to what you can accomplish and overcome.

Through his moveme...

Andy Campbell is a resilient survivor and inspiring author who has overcome some of life's most devastating challenges. From enduring childhood sexual abuse and bullying to losing his mother at a young age and becoming estranged from his father, his journey has been marked by profound hardship. He has also faced stage 4 pancreatic cancer and the heartbreaking loss of his youngest son to suicide.

Despite multiple surgeries, intense chemotherapy treatments, and unimaginable personal grief, Andy has shown extraordinary strength and perseverance. Through these experiences, he has gained a powerful perspective on resilience, rooted in 15 core beliefs that...

In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam during World War II, young Hendrika de Vries witnessed extraordinary courage. Her family hid a Jewish child in their home, and she watched her mother join the Dutch Resistance and withstand interrogation at gunpoint after the child was discovered and taken away. These experiences would shape a lifetime devoted to resilience, hope, and helping others find their strength.

Hendrika's remarkable journey spans continents and generations. From her childhood in wartime Holland to her teenage years as an immigrant and champion swimmer in 1950s Australia, and later as a young wife and mother...

Dorsey Ross' birth was a surprise. Dorsey's parents were in their forties, had two grown daughters, and were considered past child-bearing age. When Dorsey was born, the doctors believed he wouldn't survive due to his life-threatening disability. 

At 16, after seven years of isolation, pain and physical and emotional abuse Christine Sadry reached a breaking point. She was battered, bruised, and could no longer see a way forward. In that moment of deep despair, she attempted to take her life.

As she was slipping into unconsciousness, something deep within her stirred — a spark of life that refused to go out. She called a friend just to thank her for her friendship. Her friend heard something in Christine's voice and sensed something was wrong.

That phone call saved her life. And it also became a...

Shigeko Ito is an author, educator, and mental health advocate with a PhD in Education from Stanford University. Drawing on her cross-cultural experience and academic insight, she writes about intergenerational trauma, the lasting effects of childhood emotional neglect, and the healing process.

Her memoir, The Pond Beyond the Forest: Reflections on Childhood Trauma and Motherhood, tells the story of a middle-aged Japanese immigrant mother struggling to raise her teenage son and save her marriage while confronting memories of her own childhood trauma as her son enters adolescence. Throughout the journey, Shigeko remains committed to healing herself and...

David Ask states boldly that everything rises and falls on men leading well. When men fail to lead—or to love well—everyone loses. But when men lead with courage, nobility, and kindness, everyone wins. 

David Ask is an entrepreneur with products in over 3700 retail stores, including giants like The Home Depot and Lowe's. David collaborates closely with Dr. Andy Garrett as the Lead Coach for the transformative True North Resiliency program.

David believes that understanding who you are on a very granular level is the key to understanding why you do what you do. 

 "Never s...

Before the COVID‑19 pandemic, Julie Marty‑Pearson spent nearly 20 years working in higher education. While she built a successful career, the demands of her work began to take a toll on her health. After being diagnosed with kidney disease, she lost her father six months later. In 2019, she stepped away from her role to undergo surgery. When the pandemic began shortly thereafter, higher education institutions shut down—leaving her unexpectedly unemployed. That pause created space for reflection and ultimately led her to pursue a new professional path grounded in purpose, flexibility, and fulfillment.

Before the COVID‑19 pandemic, Julie Marty‑Pearson spent nearly 20 years working in higher education. While she built a successful career, the demands of her work began to take a toll on her health. After being diagnosed with kidney disease, she lost her father six months later. In 2019, she stepped away from her role to undergo surgery. When the pandemic began shortly thereafter, higher education institutions shut down—leaving her unexpectedly unemployed. That pause created space for reflection and ultimately led her to pursue a new professional path grounded in purpose, flexibility, and fulfillment.

Ronald 'Zion' Roseboro's life was upended when he was falsely accused of assault, resulting in five years of incarceration despite his efforts to prove his innocence. At the time, he was the primary caregiver for his grandmother, who had Alzheimer's disease, and was a single father raising his daughter. The experience left him facing profound personal loss and emotional hardship.

Released from the U.S. prison system in 2004, Ronald "Zion" Roseboro went on to transform his experiences into a purpose-driven career. More than twenty years later, he is the Founder and CEO of Shame Free Life Coaching...

Ronald 'Zion' Roseboro's life was upended when he was falsely accused of assault, resulting in five years of incarceration despite his efforts to prove his innocence. At the time, he was the primary caregiver for his grandmother, who had Alzheimer's disease, and was a single father raising his daughter. The experience left him facing profound personal loss and emotional hardship.

Released from the U.S. prison system in 2004, Ronald "Zion" Roseboro went on to transform his experiences into a purpose-driven career. More than twenty years later, he is the Founder and CEO of Shame Free Life Coaching...

After several years spent working for the federal government, Amy L. Bernstein's soul was completely crushed by the lack of creativity in the work. She was working incredibly hard—and feeling numb and demoralized. She realized she needed to make significant changes to her life or fall into a serious depression.

Amy had to identify her wounds and learn to heal them, to be honest with herself and others.

Amy L. Bernstein is a multi-genre author, book coach, and former award-winning journalist.

Amy's latest book, Wrangling the Do...

Cancer is a club you never want to belong to, but you find the most amazing people when you do. Erica Campbell has a group of women who bonded over their breast cancer journey.

Together they know what it means to face illness head-on -- to confront mortality, search for strength, and build the resilience required to move forward.

As a breast cancer survivor who also lost her mother to the disease, Erica speaks the 'vocabulary of cancer' from multiple perspectives. In her debut memoir, The Mastectomy I Always Wanted, she pairs honesty and vulnerability...

When Jenna Udenberg was fifteen, she had a suicide plan due to tough medical issues and severe physical pain from her arthritis. She lived in bed. But she pulled herself from those very dark, tough times to become an inspiration to many who suffer from disabilities.

Jenna Udenberg is a former music educator of 19 years. She has used a manual wheelchair since the age of eight due to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Jenna is a 2017 Blandin Foundation Community Leader, a 2020 Bush Fellow, and a 2025 Shannon Leadership Institute Fellow.

Writing for the Lake County Press in her...

The average person can keep a secret for forty-seven hours. Babs Walters held the worst kind of secret for nearly seventy years. Beginning at the age of eleven, Walters suffered childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her father. His edict, "Children should be seen and not heard," defined her childhood and groomed her to silence.

But despite the cycle of generational trauma and abuse that haunted her childhood, Walters eventually had a life-changing realization: We are not what happens to us. We are the meaning and purpose we give to what happens to us.

...

In 2018, Andrew Davie survived a ruptured brain aneurysm and hemorrhage. Now…he recently graduated with a clinical mental health counseling degree, practices as a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor LGPC, consults for James Mason University about brain injury assessments, and, before her passing, cared for his mother while she had ALS.

He learned how to turn a terrible situation into something good with the desire to help others who may be struggling.

Andrew Davie has worked in theater, finance, and education. He taught English and creative writing at the middle, high school, and college levels for st...

Mia Hanks had a rude awakening when she realized something was 'not normal' in her marriage. The worst part was that she could not see a way out. Narcissistic abuse is a bondage that has only recently been exposed as mental and physical abuse.

Narcissistic abuse is somewhat of an epidemic, and it seems many victims don't know how to escape it. Mia Hanks is an award-winning author who brings awareness to the struggles of those abused by a narcissist and offers hope to those who need direction.

Mia's memoir chronicles her 29-year...

One day, Troy Karnes drank too much and missed his wife's birthday dinner (that he had planned). To show her he could change, he put $10k into their joint bank account and told her he wanted to use it for a dream vacation a year later. If he messed up, she could take it.

He didn't last a month.

She kicked him out of the house that afternoon.

When he woke up in a hotel the next day, he watched the sunrise and had no idea where he had slept the night before...

Lori Pappas plodded with a slow, heavy pace against resistance in her youth. Her parents had her committed when she was 16 years old because they could not control her. She was rebellious, and her mother, a religious fanatic, was convinced she was possessed by the devil. While there, she heard rumors that she was scheduled for shock treatments. She devised a plan and escaped - armed with only her smarts and determination. Lori made the difficult decision to become the architect of her life without emotional support or a safety net.

She married...

Randy Adkins, Jr suffered the tragic loss of his 19-year-old younger brother over 20 years ago. Although that was devastating and a time of feeling helpless, it was also a time filled with questions that caused him to self-reflect and make life choices.

Randy creatively weaves his experiences as a corporate consultant, ordained minister, community leader, and distinguished toastmaster into a tapestry, inspiring observers to integrate spiritual growth principles into everyday life.

Randy has a passion for creating lasting change in people's lives through writing, teaching, and speaking. He is an altruistic...

At 13 years old Sandra Schnakenburg was hit by a car traveling 100 mph while riding her bike. In addition to having her face reconstructed, she suffered a traumatic brain injury long before such injuries were widely understood. Her parents struggled to cope with her forgetfulness and memory loss, and they gave up trying. Thus began her 10-year struggle with bulimia, which shaped her in profound ways and deepened her appreciation for resilience and healing.

Sandra Schnakenburg, a dual American/Australian citizen, holds a BS in Finance and International Business from Arizona State University and an MBA in Finance...

To all aspiring authors and those who have already been published, you will gain valuable knowledge about publishing from Terry Whalin.

Terry Whalin is an editor and author of over 60 books and has written for more than 50 magazines. Several of Terry's books have sold over 100,000 copies.

Because of the common misconceptions and conflicting information about publishing, many authors are left confused when it is time to publish their book. These authors often focus only on the content of their book, but either ignore or do not fully understand the business side of publishing.

John Graham graduated from college with no real training, no direction, and no one to help him. As a result, he went through eight career detours, moving from state to state, feeling helpless, alone, and not knowing what to do or where to go much of the time.

It was not until he and his wife committed to helping others who were struggling more they were and founded Good Samaritan Home that he found his place and a sense of purpose.

John Graham had gone from homelessness, a series...

John Graham graduated from college with no real training, no direction, and no one to help him. As a result, he went through eight career detours, moving from state to state, feeling helpless, alone, and not knowing what to do or where to go much of the time.

It was not until he and his wife committed to helping others who were struggling more they were and founded Good Samaritan Home that he found his place and a sense of purpose.

John Graham had gone from homelessness, a series...

Jenn Todling had a mental breakdown after caring for her chronically ill spouse for five years. She felt trapped and hopeless, assuming she would never be able to leave the situation or have a fulfilling life. This was a turning point for her to realize that her mental health was at risk, and she needed to seek help and support.

With a past life as an audit partner at Ernest and Young, a stint at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and an adjunct faculty coach at the University of Denver, Jenn's journey to become an author...

Jenn Todling had a mental breakdown after caring for her chronically ill spouse for five years. She felt trapped and hopeless, assuming she would never be able to leave the situation or have a fulfilling life. This was a turning point for her to realize that her mental health was at risk, and she needed to seek help and support.

With a past life as an audit partner at Ernest and Young, a stint at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and an adjunct faculty coach at the University of Denver, Jenn's journey to become an author...

From her humble beginning as a bartender to the sacred halls of the convent and through the trials of tumultuous relationships and alcoholism, Gina Economopoulos grapples with loss, grief, and the pursuit of self-discovery.

From the agonizing decision to leave the convent behind to the numbing embrace of alcoholism, every step of her journey is fraught with uncertainty and pain. Yet, through sheer resilience and unwavering determination, she begins the process of healing, learning to let go of the past and forge new connections in the present.

Gina Economopoulos was born in Syosset...

From her humble beginning as a bartender to the sacred halls of the convent and through the trials of tumultuous relationships and alcoholism, Gina Economopoulos grapples with loss, grief, and the pursuit of self-discovery.

From the agonizing decision to leave the convent behind to the numbing embrace of alcoholism, every step of her journey is fraught with uncertainty and pain. Yet, through sheer resilience and unwavering determination, she begins the process of healing, learning to let go of the past and forge new connections in the present.

Gina Economopoulos was born in Syosset...

From her humble beginning as a bartender to the sacred halls of the convent and through the trials of tumultuous relationships and alcoholism, Gina Economopoulos grapples with loss, grief, and the pursuit of self-discovery.

From the agonizing decision to leave the convent behind to the numbing embrace of alcoholism, every step of her journey is fraught with uncertainty and pain. Yet, through sheer resilience and unwavering determination, she begins the process of healing, learning to let go of the past and forge new connections in the present.

Gina Economopoulos was born in Syosset...

In 2004, Madelaine Weiss had a flesh-eating disease, which started as strep throat and extended into her arm. She had a 1% chance of survival. The doctors were threatening to remove her upper right quadrant, but after seven weeks in the hospital and three months off her post at Harvard Medical School, here she is – happy, healthy, prosperous, and productive with a smile.

Madelaine Weiss is a Harvard-trained licensed psychotherapist and mindset expert, with an MBA and board certification in executive, career, and life coaching.

She is the founder and former chair of The School-Business Partnership, former pa...

In 2004, Madelaine Weiss had a flesh-eating disease, which started as strep throat and extended into her arm. She had a 1% chance of survival. The doctors were threatening to remove her upper right quadrant, but after seven weeks in the hospital and three months off her post at Harvard Medical School, here she is – happy, healthy, prosperous, and productive with a smile.

Madelaine Weiss is a Harvard-trained licensed psychotherapist and mindset expert, with an MBA and board certification in executive, career, and life coaching.

She is the founder and former chair of The School-Business Partnership, former pa...

Dr. Danny Brassell is a highly sought-after speaker, trainer, and coach known as "Jim Carrey with a PH.D." Dr Danny went to 18 schools before he was 12 years old, and everyone made fun of him because he stuttered. It is ironic that he now gets paid huge sums of money to travel the world and help people speak.

Dr. Brassell has spoken to over 3,500 audiences worldwide and authored 18 books, including his latest, Misfits and Crackpots. As the co-founder of the world's top reading engagement program, Danny is on a mission to bring JOY...

When Dr. Beverly J. Armento was 23, in her first year of teaching, and after 17 years of physical and emotional abuse, she was at her darkest hour and considered suicide. She struggled through the night, listening to the voices in her head and hearing what former teachers and students were arguing with her about the pros and cons of that choice. By dawn, she came out on the other side of hopeless toward home. She had clarity on her purpose in life with the drive to live free from the fear and trauma in her current state.

Dr...