*WARNING: This podcast mentions grief, loss & trauma and may be triggering.
Episode Summary
In this episode, guest Wes Bruns recounts the 1992 carbon monoxide poisoning that killed 4 of his family members and left him critically ill.
He shares waking from a 5-day coma, coping with survivor guilt, rebuilding his life, coaching and family, and turning his experience into advocacy and a memoir called "When Life Changes the Game."
The episode includes practical safety reminders about carbon monoxide detectors and resources for grief and recovery.
Episode Sponsored by The HelpHUB™
Struggling with your mental health? Feeling lost, overwhelmed, or just alone? Well, you're not. Welcome to The HelpHUB™—your online destination for mental health resources, treatment options, content, and tools to help meet you exactly where you are in the moment. Visit TheHelpHUB.co to get started.
Takeaways
- Carbon monoxide as the silent killer
- Personal story of loss and survival
- The importance of safety detectors
- Turning tragedy into purpose through writing and advocacy
- Resilience and mental health after trauma
- The role of community and support in healing
- Lessons learned from a near-death experience
- The process of writing a memoir about trauma
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and episode overview 00:27 - Expanding the scope of the podcast to include survival stories 00:56 - Introduction to Wes Bruns and the dangers of carbon monoxide 01:23 - Wes shares his personal experience with CO poisoning 02:25 - Wes discusses his life after the incident and his mission 03:18 - Connection through shared loss of fathers 04:16 - Wes talks about his family and current life 05:11 - The impact of the 1992 tragedy on Wes’s life 07:46 - The night of the tragedy 09:31 - The events leading up to the CO poisoning 11:28 - Detection signs and the night of the incident 16:27 - The rescue and aftermath of the tragedy 20:20 - Medical treatment and Wes’s recovery 21:50 - The upcoming book and its purpose 24:48 - Reflections on survival and purpose 27:02 - Survivor guilt and coping mechanisms 28:18 - The impact on Wes’s mental health 29:58 - Advice for those experiencing loss 42:05 - The importance of safety and prevention 46:24 - Wes’s book release details and advocacy 47:24 - Final thoughts and message of hope
Mental Health Resources
- If you or someone you know is struggling, please call 988 for help.
- The Survivors Podcast Website – https://thesurvivors.net/
- National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7223)
- Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss (Familius Books)
- The HelpHUB™ – Mental health resources, tools, and support networks – https://www.thehelphub.co/
- About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
- Connect with Wes Bruns https://wes-bruns.com/
-
Order your copy of Wes's book When Life Changes The Game: A story of survival, second chances, and the power of perseverance on Amazon. Release Date: Thursday, August 20th 2026. Book Signing at NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, IA. Aug 20th, 4-6PM
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See you next week! In the meantime, keep surviving.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Hey friends, before we dive into this week's episode, just a heads up.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:08 Our podcast talks about suicide, sexual abuse, and other trauma,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:12 and some of what you hear may be triggering. So please listen with care.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:18 This is The Survivors. Real stories, raw conversations, and the truth about
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 what it means to keep going after the hardest things.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 We're so glad you're here. Let's keep surviving together.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:30 So we've been working really, really hard, Nash, you and I, this season especially,
00:00:30 --> 00:00:35 to really kind of expand the scope of what we talk about on the pod to include
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 more of the things that we're all surviving.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:42 So it started as a podcast. We talk about suicide loss and that type of grief,
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 and we've expanded it because of your background and some of my background.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:50 And now we're just bringing in people who are surviving all sorts of things,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 everywhere, things that not necessarily you and I have ever survived,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 but that we know a lot of other people in the world are surviving.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:02 So in this conversation, the one that we're having today, is a subject that
00:01:02 --> 00:01:07 I don't think many of us ever really think about until it's probably way too
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 late to be thinking about it in terms of survival, until it happens.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 So I'm really, really glad that we're having it.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 Carbon monoxide poisoning is called the silent killer.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 It's been called the silent killer since I was a kid in grade school.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:25 It's invisible, it's odorless, it's colorless, and in a matter of just a very
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 few minutes, it can end somebody's life.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 Our guest today is Wes Bruns.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 And he knows that reality better than most people will ever know that reality.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:41 We're going to let him share his story, but what we'll do is tee it up and let
00:01:41 --> 00:01:48 you know that he has lost a number of family members to carbon monoxide poisoning.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:53 And he himself became critically ill during this whole experience.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 He'll tell you all about it.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:59 More than 30 years later, he's out there in the world. He's sharing what happened,
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 how he rebuilt his life after this.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:07 It's an unimaginable kind of loss and why he's using his story to educate people,
00:02:07 --> 00:02:12 and ensure that a similar situation doesn't happen to anybody else.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 So Wes, hi. We're really glad you're here.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 Welcome. How are you, Natasha and Lisa? How are you guys doing?
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 Thank you for having me on. Yeah, I appreciate it.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 And you said it perfectly.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:29 Yeah, I always like to, I just flat out say I shouldn't be here in this conversation.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:33 Yeah. Either, or I'd be in a very vegetative state.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 So grateful and blessed. And to this day, I don't know why I am.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:42 As I said, there's a mission. There's a reason I'm here. And I think if I save
00:02:42 --> 00:02:46 one life, inspire one person, I've done my job. And I tell you what.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:52 This story is really kind of amazed. I'm still in shock why I'm able to do it.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 But I'm kind of living through my parents and my brother, their legacy.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:59 Yeah. And I know my sister is proud of me to do this.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 Yeah. And we're just, we're grateful that you're here, number one.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:06 We're even more grateful that you're empowered to share your story.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 I mean, that's what we're doing here. That's the nature behind everything that
00:03:09 --> 00:03:13 we do every week. So we really appreciate it when other people are doing the same.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 So one of the reasons I felt really connected to you, you and I got a chance
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 to chat a little bit a few weeks ago.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:23 I felt really connected to you because we both lost our fathers when we were
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 young. I was a little bit younger than you, but we both did.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 You were a senior in high school, I think?
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 Correct. Yep. Senior in high school. Yep. And I was 10 years old.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:40 And losing your dad like that at that age really shaped who you became in a
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 lot of ways. That's one of the things that you and I talked about.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:49 Yeah. And before we kind of dive into your story, we just want to know a tiny
00:03:49 --> 00:03:54 bit about you. You told us before we hit record, where are you in the world, first of all?
00:03:55 --> 00:04:00 Right now, I'm, I just got playing golf with my brother-in-law and father-in-law
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 and a hot 95 degree day here in Iowa. Okay.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:09 What am I doing now? I'm still coaching basketball this summer with my new sophomore group of kids.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Obviously, the book process. We have a family of four kids now,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 and one is soon to be moving out in August, first time. So we're going to help
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 her move out, Allie, our oldest.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 And then Grace is going to be going to Mount Mercy College to play soccer.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:28 And then our twins, Eli and Anna, They'll be sophomores.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:35 Eli has cerebral palsy. He has been going to school since three years of age
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 at Prairie School District. It's been incredible. It's been so good.
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 He's nonverbal, non-mobile.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 And my book talks about it. He's one of my best teachers.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 That's incredible. You got a full life. You got a full plate.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:56 And all of that would not have been possible if you had succumbed to the situation
00:04:56 --> 00:05:03 that you were in way back now, what, 1992, I think, is when this happened to you? Let me backtrack.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:11 My great wife, Holly, my awesome wife. Boy, she grounds me. She keeps me grounded.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:17 She's very inspiring to me. I just can't say enough about her. I love that.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:22 I'm a lucky guy, but I am very lucky and blessed. So, yeah, 1992.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:29 Wes, I can tell by the way that you talk about your family that you've had tremendous loss.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:34 Because the only people that I hear speak the way you do about your family and
00:05:34 --> 00:05:38 how grateful you are to be alive and the wonderful teachers that your children
00:05:38 --> 00:05:43 are and are people that have experienced tremendous, tremendous loss.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 Because it makes you see people differently and makes you see the world differently
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 and appreciate what you have.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:54 So thank you for sharing that. Sure, no question. It's very humbling,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 but you don't realize it.
00:05:56 --> 00:06:00 And eventually maybe we'll get to the point when I was told what had happened.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 I was in the hospital and I was told what happened and I was told what happened.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:07 Of course, I was already saying crazy stuff. My brain was just whacked out,
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 really mainly the frontal lobe.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 I really learned about where carbon dioxide really attacks that frontal lobe.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:17 And as you know, I was a teacher for nine years, and that's probably one reason
00:06:17 --> 00:06:21 why I was able to get out of it, and I did step away from teaching.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:25 It puts a lot of pressure on your brain, what it does, and it really affects it.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:31 And you're learning my short-term memory word, and I can lose track of things.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:35 Long-term is fantastic, but short-term things is crazy. It's hard to describe.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:41 And organizing things, it could be a major issue, and that's what it does to you.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:49 Let's dive in. If you're ready, let's dive in and share your story. Take us back.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 It's Christmas time, and it's 1992.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:58 What did that holiday look like? Who was there? What do you remember about that
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 day or that period of time before everything happened.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 Yeah, I'll set this all up. Of course, my dad passed in 1986,
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 my senior in high school.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:13 What's crazy is my mother, a couple years later, she ended up meeting a gentleman, class reunion.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:17 He lost his wife to cancer the same year my dad had passed.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 It was unexpectedly, just a shock.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:25 And they kind of hooked up. Great fellow, great guy. And she and decided they
00:07:25 --> 00:07:29 were going to get married. And they got married. And that was down in Southern Iowa.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:34 And they bought a house just inside the Missouri border. And that Christmas,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 everyone was going to show up for Christmas.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 My oldest brother, Al, he worked for DOJ, Washington, D.C.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 Next, older brother, Dennis, he was getting his master's at the University of
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 Iowa and he was getting his master's at the University of Iowa.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:50 Joni, my sister, she went to Iowa State. She married Garth Lloyd.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 Garth Lloyd was in the ROTC at Iowa State.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 They all came at Christmas, too. So it was going to be a great,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 great Christmas. We're looking forward to it.
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 And I was coaching basketball my second year, sophomore basketball,
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 going back to college to get my teaching degree.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:08 So I was all kind of excited for it and become a teacher coach.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 It worked perfectly for me.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:17 So then you're all there. The whole crew is there. It's Christmas, it's 1992.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:23 And something absolutely catastrophic happens. Yeah, what was crazy throughout
00:08:23 --> 00:08:27 that day, my brother-in-law, Garth, he made a comment.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 He said, do you notice during the day we're inside, I didn't feel great,
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 but whenever I went outside, drove
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 the four-wheeler around, they had four-wheelers and stuff, I was out.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:39 Jim had a big, well, a sheep, a bull, a bull sheep, and I was shoveling the
00:08:39 --> 00:08:43 sheep manure, which I love doing that, exercising, and I spent a lot of time
00:08:43 --> 00:08:47 out there doing that. And so I wasn't inside a lot, but he said,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 once you go inside, he kind of noticed it. I didn't feel, I don't feel great.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:55 But you went outside, the fresh air made you feel better. Was that him alone or everybody?
00:08:55 --> 00:08:59 Great question. I do not know. Joni didn't say anything about that,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 but I didn't really recall it because I was constantly going.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:08 And, but Garth also made this comment, Morgan and Skyler, about two years of age.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 He goes, if you look at pictures of that, you can almost see like they were.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 Having a hard time breathing.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 We're spiring a little, just a little bit of glow on them.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:22 And he says, what he describes is like, man, you think of all the evidence like
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 this is potential carbon monoxide poisoning.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 In 1992, we never thought about that stuff, never. Detectors didn't come out
00:09:28 --> 00:09:32 until 1993, first alert, 1993.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:37 So then we hung out, we ate. What was unique? I talk about this.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 After we had family dinner, we had a big picture with everybody.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:45 In the picture. And of course, not knowing what was going to happen hours later,
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 Cheryl and her son, Skylar, and her husband, Paul, they left.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:54 And so that was, it was there, was remaining numbers of the family.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:59 And of course, my brothers and sisters. And yeah, later that night,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:03 we, those two nights we watched movies were Dancing with Wolves.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:07 And the next night, I think it was Misery. We watched that. That's the time period.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:14 And so about midnight or so, Morgan, she was born with a few health issues.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 She had a hole in her heart, but she also had asthma.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 And the carbon monoxide, I think, was kind of bothering her.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 She was coughing more, convulsions, having issues.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 So as everyone started going to bed, they decided they're going to take her
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 to the hospital in Kiyosakwa.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:32 And they live kind of out in the boonies to get there and take them grab her roads.
00:10:32 --> 00:10:36 And they find their way there. Originally, my mom, I think, was going to go
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 with Joni because she knew how to get there. But Garth said, no, I'm going to go.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:44 And what's interesting is Garth and Joni, they were going to head back to Atlanta the next day.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 And I think the plan was that my mom and Garth were going to switch.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 Mom would come see him make the switch. Like, yeah, we leave you.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 You go back home to the house.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:59 And, of course, when they had left, I went downstairs to the basement on a twin
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 bed, cement floor, and went to bed.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:07 Well, not to interrupt you, but just for context. So you were all kind of crashing
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 at the place. You were all staying. Everybody was staying overnight.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:15 Yep. About 1130-ish or so. And Dennis was in the living room there.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 By the fireplace in a sleeping bag.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 And I was downstairs.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 And of course, they were going to head out. And there was my mother and Jim
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 up in the kitchen. They were saying goodbye to him.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:32 And what was weird, I always think to this day that I did try to go say goodbye
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 to them. Because something tells me I had to go say goodbye to them.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 Well, I did, because I did try to get up. And they found my body,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 I just collapsed on the cement floor, gassed my side of my head,
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 which I didn't remember anything.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:49 So Garth says this. As they left, the idea was my mother and Garth would switch.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 When they get to the hospital, I guess, we didn't know this.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 Joni said, she goes, I had a pulsating headache too, major headache.
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 Like, ah, the headaches, nausea feeling. Okay.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 So they started doing blood draws or blood gases, I think, on her also.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:08 They never called us. We'd have cell phones like that during that time period.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:13 So what happened, the night occurs, we all go to bed, quote unquote,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 Garth comes in, comes back to the house, because he says, I'm going to come
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 back to the house and rest, sleep, basically about five o'clock.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:24 This is Christmas night, Missouri, Iowa, so it's very, very cold,
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 and it was very calm winds, too.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:32 So there's no breeze blowing through the chimney, throughout the air. None of that either.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 So what happened is Garth comes to the house and he kind of looks in the window
00:12:36 --> 00:12:40 and he sees that mom and Jim are kind of leading them to the house the window
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 and they're laying on the floor,
00:12:42 --> 00:12:46 just basically when he had left earlier in the night so it must have happened
00:12:46 --> 00:12:51 so quick and here I'm thinking oh I should go out I should go upstairs tell them goodbye,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 I did try to get up because I collapsed and.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 And what Garth talks about, and he comes to the house, he looks over,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 maybe it's food poisoning or something. Or maybe they gave their bed up for
00:13:02 --> 00:13:06 something. I don't know. So he goes to the bed where he was situated, lays down.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:11 And what was his story, which is incredible that he came out and talked about
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 this, as they call it, post-traumatic.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:19 This is major. Well, he hears the noise. He keeps hearing this snoring noise.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:25 Well, it was Jim Oxberger's son, Alan, who was down the hallway in a small little
00:13:25 --> 00:13:29 bathroom, sitting on the toilet seat, kind of tilted over snoring,
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 had a small vent in there, and he was kind of snoring.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 He was out just usually just hearing this snoring, kind of, oh,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 that's peculiar, that's kind of strange.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 He goes back to bed, he's laying there. Not knowing as he's laying there,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:45 the carbon monoxide is attacking him right now. His muscles, everything.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:51 So then about within a number of minutes he heard a loud scream,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:57 well that's that's that's joining car's dog named salem she goes it sounded
00:13:57 --> 00:14:02 like a human scream she went deaf for the carbon monoxide poisoning it was crazy
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 totally deaf and she screamed it just really woke him up,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:10 so then he started crawling around at that time really what's going on here,
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 well it took a while to move his body.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 He was crawling to get anything, find bodies, open windows.
00:14:16 --> 00:14:20 And of course, he had to get, emergency, get to a phone. And of course,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 he really didn't know where the location was at.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:26 And by that point, he started opening windows, relieving, feeling better.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:32 That took about 45 minutes to an hour for him to move because his body was so,
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 carbon oxidative already affected him.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 And so you have Dennis laying there in the living room, sleeping bag,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 Salem there on the couch in the living room.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:47 I think she lived another two years. But anyway, so Garth is trying to figure
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 out, get to a phone. He sort of opened the windows, and they called.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:54 And Sheriff Snodgrass was on duty. He was soon to retire next week.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:59 And he basically asked, where is your location? Do you live by these two churches, whatever?
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 You know, Augsburg residents, they recognize it, so they come.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 First alerter showed up.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 We had a helicopter showed up, two ambulances come flying in there.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 Obviously, first things first, they're suspicious, you know, how did this happen?
00:15:11 --> 00:15:15 And as soon as Sheriff Snodgrass showed up, Garth said he was so organized,
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 we got to get everybody to the house.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:21 Because Garth goes, at one time, I almost forgot about you downstairs because
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 it's chaos. It was chaos. You're opening windows, you're getting air in there.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 It was his comment when he came upon bodies.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:34 Jim basically found on the kitchen floor, as they collapsed,
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 he caught her laying on the kitchen floor.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:42 And he said both of them they're tainted turning purple with foaming at the mouth,
00:15:44 --> 00:15:49 He goes, I knew you guys were alive. You had vomited, but you were totally out,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 which I was totally out. I was comatose for five days.
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 I was a flatline brain scan.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 Some say you were dead for five days.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 So anyway, so Garth, they all come. They're showing up. Everyone's kind of doing
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 their job. It's hustling here and there. And Garth, let's go get Wes.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 And they took everybody out. Body's out.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:14 He goes, I forgot about you. He goes, you were dead weight. and I drug you up the stairs.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 And of course, I gassed my head on the side of the cement.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:22 He pulled a part of his rib out from carrying me up the stairs because he later
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 went to the hospital there in Memphis.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:30 So the helicopter, they took Alan Augsburg first to the University of Missouri.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 They thought he was worse off.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:37 Agnes, she was a runner. I also was a runner. Worked out like crazy, 25 years old.
00:16:38 --> 00:16:42 And this would save my life. But they took Alan to the university first And
00:16:42 --> 00:16:48 it took Agnes and I to St. Louis Hospital in St. Luke's in Chesterfield.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:55 So we get there. Of course, he hears four dead, three unresponsive.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 Okay. And he gets two of us.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:04 And sure, it's the hyperbaric chambers, two hours at a time, and then for each day.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 The first day I was in there, he told me this story. He said,
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 Wes, you were my first patient. I did this too.
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 You get your hyperbolic chamber, the first one, pulled you out of there.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:18 We did a spinal tap because I was going to check your lactic acid level.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:23 By doing that, I see if there's improvement each day, your lactic acid level.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:28 Okay, so every human being normally, on the average, we're at two lactic acid
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 levels in our body. It's level two.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 When it gets to four, it's kind of critical. Like, whoa, this is not good.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:38 His famous word, number, and he always remembers to this day,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 I was an 11. Oh, my God. Wow. Wes.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:51 I, and that six, five, six hours of no oxygen on my brain, it's totally hypoxia.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 I don't know how you're sitting here right now. No. Honestly. Yeah.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:59 But you talk about a miracle. Yeah. Yeah. I'd say.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:04 And the book talks about Agnes and Alan will tell their own story.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07 So, Ag would have been a great writer.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:14 And when you when you talk about the book you're it's i know you're getting
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 emotional right now and i'm okay no,
00:18:17 --> 00:18:20 no we're getting we're getting our own versions of emotional but i i want to
00:18:20 --> 00:18:23 make sure everybody understands that the book that you've made reference to
00:18:23 --> 00:18:27 a couple of times is the book that you have written about your experience and
00:18:27 --> 00:18:30 about this this whole ordeal and,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:36 putting a spotlight on carbon monoxide awareness and and i'm sure all the information
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 that anyone would ever need to know to stay safe.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:41 And that book is coming out in August.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:45 So just so people understand, when you refer back to a book,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:49 it's the book that you have written about this experience.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:52 I have a question. So we're talking about you being in the hospital,
00:18:52 --> 00:18:59 and obviously we know the end of your story is that you survived this.
00:18:59 --> 00:19:03 How many passed away? Give us a number. How many all together?
00:19:03 --> 00:19:07 My mother, stepfather Jim. My mother Sharon, stepfather Jim,
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 my two older brothers, Al Bruns and Dennis Bruns.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:18 I'm so sorry. We're both so sad. So, so sorry. What was it like waking up, Wes?
00:19:20 --> 00:19:24 What was that like for you? I was delirious and I was telling stories that to
00:19:24 --> 00:19:28 me made sense to me, but were a little wacky.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:34 Looking for mental health resources that actually fit who you are and where you come from?
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00:19:55 --> 00:19:59 and trauma-informed content you need in the moment without having to dig through
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00:20:18 --> 00:20:23 Did you know, when were you told? How were you told? Okay, the accident happened
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 on Friday night, Christmas night.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 I came out of a coma Wednesday.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:33 The funeral was Wednesday. My two uncles were there that Wednesday visiting.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 So I wouldn't be suspicious, like, where did everyone else go?
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 They were there visiting.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:44 Friday was the day Joni came in the room with the hospital psychologist. Who is Joni?
00:20:44 --> 00:20:48 My sister, Joni. Okay. I remember here when I first woke up,
00:20:48 --> 00:20:51 and I wanted to get out. They literally had to strap me down,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 which is a good sign, because I was fighting.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:58 I was really hot, I was sweating, I was just fighting. And that's just the way I am.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:02 I think my parents or whoever, it's just the way I was born.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:05 It's a fight through two things. Don't give up. Keep going, keep going, keep going.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:10 But then hearing what had happened that Friday, and I always say that after
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 they told the story, they both kind of walked away.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:17 And I sat there, I looked over kind of out of a window, and I thought, what the heck?
00:21:18 --> 00:21:22 No. Yeah. Because I thought, because usually after my second year of coaching,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:25 just my second year, I get really worked up coaching.
00:21:25 --> 00:21:29 I get stressed out come the Christmas season. Then get under the weather,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 get sick here and there, just from working hard.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:34 And I thought, maybe I was just sick, you know, from coaching.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 Oh, no. Much different than that.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:43 And that was, as I said, I don't know how I survived. There's a reason why I
00:21:43 --> 00:21:46 did, I guess. And I'm trying to find that journey right now.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:49 Wes, who told you? What was that moment like when you learned about the deaths
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 of all those family members?
00:21:51 --> 00:21:57 It was my sister and the hospital psychologist. I don't remember his name. A quiet fellow.
00:21:57 --> 00:22:02 But Joni, my sister Joni is the rock of Gibraltar. Here's the story with that.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:05 So that week when it happened, that Friday, it goes into the Wednesday.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:11 My brother-in-law garth who saved my life pulled us out of there his 30th birthday
00:22:11 --> 00:22:15 was either that tuesday or wednesday and literally jody made a comment hey garth
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 you know today's your 30th birthday,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:21 yeah because all the family were still there it's down there my mom's side we're
00:22:21 --> 00:22:27 all down there it was just it was just crazy chaos yeah so emotional wow were
00:22:27 --> 00:22:30 you upset that you they had the funeral without you.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:34 Did they have the funeral for all four of them at the same time?
00:22:34 --> 00:22:38 Yes. And I saw the footage of it. Of course, I didn't watch a lot of it,
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 but I recognized people.
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 And I just, just to see the people that showed up.
00:22:43 --> 00:22:47 Yeah. It was like my dad's funeral when he passed. That church,
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 I've never seen it so full.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 He was a Hall of Fame coach in Iowa, high school basketball.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:57 Won a state baseball title coaching baseball. So, but yeah, just a well-respected,
00:22:58 --> 00:23:02 guy. And if I could be half of what he is or was.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:08 I'm sure you are. I am too. I have a question that I know is going to be a hard,
00:23:09 --> 00:23:12 question. And I know I'm curious about it. I'm sure anybody else listening to
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 your story is probably curious about it.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 You can reserve the right to not answer it.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:25 But I'm going to ask it. Okay. Are you struggling? Have you struggled with survivor guilt at any point?
00:23:26 --> 00:23:32 A little bit. A little bit. Okay. Yes, a little bit. There's times, yes and no.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:35 Because as I said, I'm always trying to strive what they want me to do.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:39 Get off your butt. Don't woe with me because we want you to do this.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:44 And I never thought I'd get into coaching. And when my mother came with Al to
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 a game, watch me coach, I didn't know they were going to be there.
00:23:46 --> 00:23:50 She came up to me after the game. And she says, you are your dad. Oh, that's great.
00:23:50 --> 00:23:52 I'm just going, huh? What does that mean?
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 We spent so many years. I was a tag along. I can follow into practice and do
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 all that stuff as a youngster.
00:23:57 --> 00:24:01 I ran into a guy playing golf in our league. And I joined a league. And he was there.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:06 He was a manager with my dad. And I said, do you remember me? He says, oh, yeah.
00:24:07 --> 00:24:10 You're a little tyke running around. I said, oh, my gosh.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:19 I love that your focus is more on representing your family and living on behalf
00:24:19 --> 00:24:23 of your family for them, kind of in their memory. It's a beautiful thing.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:27 I don't know if a lot of people would be able to do that, but you are.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:31 And it sounds like you're making them proud in all the ways.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:36 How did the whole experience affect your mental health? Oh, wow.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:42 It may be more empathetic to people in need because we all have different stories.
00:24:42 --> 00:24:46 It's not all the same, and we all grieve differently. Holy cow.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:51 My therapy, as you'll kind of catch on, is working out, sweating, exercise.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 I started doing that like in seventh grade basketball. I started to play,
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 play, play, and I really did a lot of that.
00:24:56 --> 00:25:02 And exercise really was my drug of choice. I didn't drink. I didn't party. I didn't smoke.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:06 I'd say I'm a goody two-shoes. I just didn't like that. And I,
00:25:07 --> 00:25:11 and I call me a nerd or a jock. I just did what I did.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:15 And that was my therapeutic still to this day. Sweating. That's my therapy.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 And I'd like to share and to talk about it.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:22 It's, you know, you could still just be there for some people.
00:25:22 --> 00:25:25 Let them talk. Still listen to somebody. That's what a lot of people need to hear.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:31 I can read kind of windy tubes. So I got too much talking. Can I ask you something?
00:25:32 --> 00:25:37 I don't know if you know my story. Sorry, I've lost five brothers to suicide and my dad to cancer.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:43 Thank you. But most of those deaths occurred in a very short time.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:48 And something that I struggle with is the weight of so much loss.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:52 You know, for me, it's the most recent death was March of last year.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:59 That was brother number five. And so I struggle with the weight of so much loss.
00:25:59 --> 00:26:03 And so my question to you is, does it get any easier?
00:26:04 --> 00:26:09 Oh, let me just tell you, those first few years, Christmases were hell. Yeah.
00:26:11 --> 00:26:15 Terrible. And guess what I would do? at LaSalle, I'd go in there and work out.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:20 I would do a go-workout. I'd run the stairs, do the airdyne bike as hard as I could.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:28 It was so hard for me. And when I met Holly, boy, how has it changed that I've
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 married into a great family. Oh my gosh.
00:26:31 --> 00:26:37 You've done in so many ways, or are starting to do in so many ways what Natasha
00:26:37 --> 00:26:41 and I have been doing, which is to find purpose in something terrible.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:46 It's just tragic. It's It's life-changing in every way.
00:26:47 --> 00:26:51 And you're taking this experience that you've had that I think so few people,
00:26:51 --> 00:26:56 like a lot in terms of unusual circumstances, you losing so many family members
00:26:56 --> 00:27:00 like you did and Natasha losing so many like she has. It's not the norm.
00:27:00 --> 00:27:07 And yet you're taking what's happened to you and you're recycling it into something
00:27:07 --> 00:27:09 purposeful, into something that can help other people.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12 And you're sharing your story and it's painful. And, you know,
00:27:12 --> 00:27:15 you've gotten emotional. oh, I'm getting teary-eyed, it's hard to hear.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:19 What made you decide it was time to do that? Great question.
00:27:20 --> 00:27:25 Here we go again. That's okay. Mike Fettkeather. So when I finished co-college
00:27:25 --> 00:27:29 with a history degree, what are you going to do with the history degree? Law school?
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 I wanted to become a Secret Service agent.
00:27:33 --> 00:27:39 So you kind of please experience, do all that stuff. So I applied for the Iowa State Patrol that year.
00:27:39 --> 00:27:42 I got to the oral board examination, very intense, made it through there.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:46 That was the same year they had budget cuts. So they didn't hire anybody.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:52 So I go back home at my mom's place, doing things. What did I do for a job? Go back to Cedar Rapids.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:57 Well, the LaSalle basketball job opened up, LaSalle High School, sophomore job.
00:27:57 --> 00:28:01 And I asked my mom, should I do this? Go interview, go interview. So I interviewed.
00:28:01 --> 00:28:06 And sure enough, I got hired. And when I remember my first week of practice,
00:28:06 --> 00:28:11 whatever, I got my first check, and I thought, you're paying me to do this?
00:28:12 --> 00:28:16 I love this. And working with kids, that's where it kind of got me back to go
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 get my teaching, get my teaching.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:20 Mike Fettkeller, I owe him a debt of gratitude.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:29 He's super. So then how did you kind of unlock this part of you?
00:28:29 --> 00:28:32 At what point did you decide to start?
00:28:32 --> 00:28:38 Yeah, Gary. Short-term memory. So Mike, he's on a men's group in his church.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:41 Now, on two occasions, I've gone, about 25 members, Bible study.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 I came and told him the story.
00:28:44 --> 00:28:47 He says, you've got to hear this story. So I tell the guys the story.
00:28:47 --> 00:28:51 Of course, it was very organized. I was all over the place, divert here and
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 there, which is what I do.
00:28:52 --> 00:28:55 And Mike would always kind of step in because he knew how it was.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:59 And some of them said, you should put this in a book. So this is a movie.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 And I said, anybody know how to write? So we talked about it.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:06 So this past year, I was the head coach at Service Jefferson High School.
00:29:08 --> 00:29:13 I also spoke to Jefferson's wrestling team before their district matches the
00:29:13 --> 00:29:15 week before. I did that two years back-to-back. I told them the story.
00:29:17 --> 00:29:22 I told a brain injury group in Mercy Hospital, and I was way back early on, kind of my little spiel.
00:29:23 --> 00:29:26 So otherwise, I told the story, but I think every time I tell a story,
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 it's so therapeutic for me.
00:29:29 --> 00:29:33 I feel so much better, but I like to share the story.
00:29:33 --> 00:29:37 And that was the hard part about finding a publisher.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:42 And, lo and behold, I went through John Gordon Publishing, and they diverted
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44 me to Streamline. It worked out perfect.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:47 And it was just a home run from there. And I'm just so blessed.
00:29:48 --> 00:29:51 Oh, my gosh. So, the book is called, if I'm getting the name right,
00:29:51 --> 00:29:53 I hope I'm getting the name right, When Life Changes the Game,
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55 that's the book. That's a perfect name for it.
00:29:56 --> 00:30:02 So, the book is obviously a memoir. It's obviously a story about what happened
00:30:02 --> 00:30:05 to you. It's actual. Yep, incredible loss.
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 What else did you include in this
00:30:08 --> 00:30:12 book? Do you talk about carbon monoxide safety? Do you give resources?
00:30:12 --> 00:30:16 We want you to just kind of give people the quick and dirty.
00:30:17 --> 00:30:21 All the struggles people affect. Because I remember when we lost our first set,
00:30:21 --> 00:30:25 Ben and Ellie, our funeral, of course, the caskets were just big.
00:30:26 --> 00:30:32 And I was holding other people up post-funeral miscarriages, the loss they've had.
00:30:33 --> 00:30:36 And I'd felt terrible for them. I was intrigued by myself. Like,
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 I was trying to lift them up.
00:30:37 --> 00:30:40 Yeah. Because people start to share their struggles when you're going through
00:30:40 --> 00:30:43 a hard time. Because that's how people relate.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:47 They want you to know, I understand what you're going through.
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 I've been through a struggle.
00:30:48 --> 00:30:53 And while they're trying to be meaningful, it becomes a weight for you to carry
00:30:53 --> 00:30:57 at a time when you have no business trying to carry other people's stuff.
00:30:57 --> 00:31:00 That has happened to me more times than I can count. Yeah.
00:31:01 --> 00:31:09 So besides the memoir piece of it, is the book a resource guide for carbon monoxide poisoning?
00:31:09 --> 00:31:13 Is it warning signs? Tell us what else besides the memoir is in the book.
00:31:14 --> 00:31:16 Yeah, the warning sign, what you could do with carbon dioxide,
00:31:16 --> 00:31:18 your detection, the batteries, everything.
00:31:19 --> 00:31:23 I know there's several groups that I'm trying to associate with to kind of bring it out more and more.
00:31:24 --> 00:31:30 Of course, having a child or children in the hospital, in ICU, it deals with.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:35 It really goes in depth about the carbon dioxide, what carbon dioxide does to
00:31:35 --> 00:31:39 your body, your oxygen levels, and how that affects it.
00:31:40 --> 00:31:44 And I have my little tidbits at the end about living life, suggestions about
00:31:44 --> 00:31:46 living life, get through things.
00:31:46 --> 00:31:49 And I always say to people, I think, if I can get through it,
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 anybody can get through it.
00:31:51 --> 00:31:54 People are like, I don't know. As I said, my good friend Andy Craig,
00:31:55 --> 00:31:58 he's on the blurb of the book. Yeah.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:06 You think of mentors? He was younger than I was. He was a mentor for me.
00:32:07 --> 00:32:11 Great man. He says, you can't knock this guy down. He'll get right back up.
00:32:13 --> 00:32:18 And it's kind of like Rocky. We just keep going. Yeah. Because that's kind of how I've been raised.
00:32:19 --> 00:32:23 That's where I'm really trying with this book signing. When is your book signing
00:32:23 --> 00:32:26 for those who are listening who are in your area?
00:32:26 --> 00:32:34 It's Thursday, August 20th from 4 o'clock to 6 o'clock at New Bow City Market
00:32:34 --> 00:32:37 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Tell us when the book is dropping, releasing everywhere.
00:32:38 --> 00:32:43 August 20th, Thursday, August 20th. It should be on Amazon also, paperback.
00:32:43 --> 00:32:47 But the book signing, I had to get 500 books, hardback books.
00:32:47 --> 00:32:53 It's a short read. And my wife says, well, coaches will love this book. But she says, no.
00:32:54 --> 00:33:00 My ghostwriter, she says, this should be required reading for all high school kids.
00:33:01 --> 00:33:06 Kind of life lessons. Life lessons. I'm adding it to cart because my daughter
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 is starting high school.
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 And she is an athlete as well.
00:33:10 --> 00:33:14 That'd be really good. Top performer, athletics, and academic.
00:33:14 --> 00:33:17 So what's the title of the book again?
00:33:18 --> 00:33:21 When Life Changes the Game. I really, I'm going to add the card.
00:33:21 --> 00:33:27 Add that to your card. All right, so Wes, as we kind of tie up this conversation
00:33:27 --> 00:33:29 and wind down a little bit, a last thought.
00:33:30 --> 00:33:35 If somebody listening today has experienced an unexpected and traumatic loss
00:33:35 --> 00:33:39 like you have and feels like they're never going to recover from it.
00:33:40 --> 00:33:44 What would you say to them what a great what a great life lesson it is life
00:33:44 --> 00:33:49 is hard it's not going to be perfect but you got to do the best you you possibly
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 can because it will get better,
00:33:51 --> 00:33:56 and you just got to take one one segment of your life just one thing at a time
00:33:56 --> 00:34:01 it's like that process it's one one minute at a time one hour at a time you
00:34:01 --> 00:34:04 know contact somebody you haven't contacted in a while you'd be surprised how
00:34:04 --> 00:34:07 that just lifts your spirits up lifts their spirits up,
00:34:07 --> 00:34:10 I like doing that stuff now. I never would have done that before.
00:34:11 --> 00:34:17 Well, life changes us, that's for sure. And can I also add a little PSA that
00:34:17 --> 00:34:22 I'm sure you would add yourself? I just want to make sure one of us adds it.
00:34:22 --> 00:34:29 If you're listening to this episode right now, please check your carbon monoxide detector.
00:34:29 --> 00:34:32 If you don't have one, go get one.
00:34:32 --> 00:34:36 I actually live in a rental and I don't think we have one. That was the first
00:34:36 --> 00:34:39 thing that popped in my mind when we started this conversation is like,
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 I don't think we have one. Okay.
00:34:41 --> 00:34:46 So along with putting Wes's book in your Amazon cart, you'll be putting a carbon
00:34:46 --> 00:34:49 monoxide detector in there as well.
00:34:50 --> 00:34:55 Wes, we just can't thank you enough. We know it's a hard story to share.
00:34:55 --> 00:35:00 I know for myself, whenever I share and Natasha, when she shares, it brings it back. It.
00:35:02 --> 00:35:07 You have to know that you're helping people. You're giving people the awareness
00:35:07 --> 00:35:11 to check something that most of us just don't even think about checking.
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 Check the batteries, everything.
00:35:13 --> 00:35:17 And I love what you said in the beginning where you said, if I can save one
00:35:17 --> 00:35:25 person, because that's what I said all along. You know, why would I get on and share all this tragedy?
00:35:25 --> 00:35:30 And the very first time I opened up TikTok and shared my very first video and I was ugly crying.
00:35:31 --> 00:35:34 And I almost, I got on the next day, I recorded it, posted it,
00:35:34 --> 00:35:37 didn't get back on. The next day I was getting on to actually delete the video,
00:35:38 --> 00:35:40 because it was right after brother number four had passed.
00:35:41 --> 00:35:44 And I was reading through the comments and they were so supportive,
00:35:44 --> 00:35:48 but I'll never forget this one girl. She says, I have been considering taking
00:35:48 --> 00:35:52 my life for months now, but after seeing this, I don't know now.
00:35:53 --> 00:35:59 And so I thought if I can save one person, if I save that one girl, that was enough for me.
00:36:00 --> 00:36:03 You know what's interesting about that, Nash, is that, and this applies to you too, Wes,
00:36:04 --> 00:36:08 when you're on social media, and all of us are, and when you get your story
00:36:08 --> 00:36:12 out that way, which most of us do, there are the people who engage,
00:36:12 --> 00:36:16 like the one who engaged with you, and so she told you how helpful you were
00:36:16 --> 00:36:19 and that you changed the trajectory of her decision.
00:36:19 --> 00:36:23 But you think about all the people who are just kind of observers,
00:36:23 --> 00:36:26 passive observers that we never hear from, people who see our story,
00:36:26 --> 00:36:31 hear our story, watch our videos, who are affected by it that we never even
00:36:31 --> 00:36:34 know. So you think you save that one person.
00:36:34 --> 00:36:37 And in reality, it's probably more than you can count.
00:36:38 --> 00:36:42 Right. And somebody told me that, that for every one person that reaches out,
00:36:43 --> 00:36:51 there are hundreds that story affected, and then it creates a ripple effect. Mm-hmm. It does.
00:36:51 --> 00:36:56 And so, yeah, it's just like, if those of us that have experienced such tremendous
00:36:56 --> 00:36:58 loss can get out there and share our stories and...
00:36:59 --> 00:37:03 And you never know whose life it's going to change and what life they're going to lead.
00:37:04 --> 00:37:07 Who that, who they're going to, you know, I think about those movies where they,
00:37:08 --> 00:37:13 it saves their life and then they go on to be somebody that changes the course of history.
00:37:13 --> 00:37:18 Oh, I literally just got body chills as I said that. So, and I love the way
00:37:18 --> 00:37:23 you talk about your story and how it just pushes you that much harder.
00:37:23 --> 00:37:26 And thank you for sharing that because I struggle with that so much of the time.
00:37:26 --> 00:37:29 It's where I was like, where do I go with this? What do I do with this?
00:37:30 --> 00:37:34 And I struggle with my own mental health and to just hear you talk about it.
00:37:34 --> 00:37:39 And it really gave me a little extra zhuzh that I've been needing the last several weeks. So thank you.
00:37:40 --> 00:37:44 That's a very flattering comment to be able to give Natasha some zhuzh for the record.
00:37:46 --> 00:37:52 So Wes, thank you for just trusting us with your experience.
00:37:52 --> 00:37:56 And thank you for helping to protect other people from experiencing the kind
00:37:56 --> 00:37:58 of loss that you've experienced.
00:37:58 --> 00:38:03 If you're listening to this and you want to learn more about Wes and you want
00:38:03 --> 00:38:07 to pick up a copy of his book when life changes the game is coming out in August
00:38:07 --> 00:38:11 we're going to include all of those links in our show notes below how to reach
00:38:11 --> 00:38:14 out to him if you have questions about his story or
00:38:14 --> 00:38:18 if you want to have him come in and chat with with someone in your orbit about
00:38:18 --> 00:38:22 what he's been through I'm sure he would love that so and if today obviously
00:38:22 --> 00:38:25 if today's conversation resonated with you, share it with someone,
00:38:25 --> 00:38:27 please, who might need to hear it.
00:38:27 --> 00:38:33 That's kind of always our blanket request because no matter what you're surviving,
00:38:33 --> 00:38:36 and clearly this is something unusual, no matter what you're surviving.
00:38:37 --> 00:38:41 There's someone else surviving the same kind of a thing, so you're not alone.
00:38:41 --> 00:38:44 And we can't hammer that home enough. That's why we're here,
00:38:44 --> 00:38:47 and that's why we're doing what we're doing. Can I add one more thing? Anything you want.
00:38:48 --> 00:38:50 I know we talked about putting a thing on LinkedIn.
00:38:51 --> 00:38:54 That's my goal, is to tell my story on LinkedIn a little bit short,
00:38:54 --> 00:38:57 short, brief story, because I really want to share.
00:38:57 --> 00:39:03 I want it nationwide, worldwide, for people to understand. It's real important,
00:39:04 --> 00:39:06 because I should not be here telling the story.
00:39:06 --> 00:39:12 Well, you are. west for a reason and worldwide is happening because we just
00:39:12 --> 00:39:15 had our recent analytics we are now in 90 plus countries.
00:39:17 --> 00:39:23 Good plug well done yes smooth so everybody out there listening to this worldwide,
00:39:24 --> 00:39:28 please take this seriously and we thank you so much for listening and being
00:39:28 --> 00:39:33 a part of our journey in our community we do we do every time we come on here
00:39:33 --> 00:39:35 we're grateful that there are people on the other end listening to what we have to say.
00:39:35 --> 00:39:39 So, Wes, we appreciate you. We're grateful that you're here.
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 Keep doing what you're doing.
00:39:41 --> 00:39:45 And friends, you know, we will be back next week.
00:39:46 --> 00:39:48 In the meantime, keep surviving.
00:39:48 --> 00:39:52 Thanks so much for listening and for being part of the Survivors community.
00:39:52 --> 00:39:57 No matter where you are in your story, you're not alone and you're definitely not broken.
00:39:57 --> 00:40:01 Healing takes time and it looks different for everyone. The fact that you're
00:40:01 --> 00:40:05 still here and still trying means you're already doing the hard work.
00:40:06 --> 00:40:10 If something in today's conversation resonated with you, please share it with
00:40:10 --> 00:40:11 someone who might need to hear it too.
00:40:12 --> 00:40:16 That's how we keep these conversations going and remind each other that there's always hope.
00:40:17 --> 00:40:20 And if you or someone you know is struggling, please remember,
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 help is always out there.
00:40:21 --> 00:40:26 You can call or text 988 anytime to reach a trained crisis counselor like me.
00:40:26 --> 00:40:30 And for more mental health resources, tools, treatment options,
00:40:30 --> 00:40:33 and content to support your mental health, visit thehelphub.co.
00:40:34 --> 00:40:37 We're so grateful you're part of the Survivors family, and we'll be back next
00:40:37 --> 00:40:41 week with another honest conversation about life after the hardest things.
00:40:41 --> 00:40:46 Until then, take care of yourself and your people, and keep surviving. Thank you.