Episode Notes

• After a period of escalating substance use and risky behavior, David’s sophomore year culminates in a near-fatal alcohol overdose on the last day of summer school. [David Lidd...Manuscript | Word]
• He collapses during a final exam, is dragged to the principal’s office, and flatlines—requiring resuscitation and emergency transport in a hearse-like “Ghostbuster” ambulance. [David Lidd...Manuscript | Word]
• The experience is a turning point: David’s father, usually stoic and emotionally distant, is seen crying at his bedside, revealing a depth of love and concern that David had never witnessed before. [David Lidd...Manuscript | Word]
• The aftermath brings no instant epiphany, but the event cracks open David’s emotional armor and plants the seed for change and self-reflection. [David Lidd...Manuscript | Word]
• The chapter explores themes of mortality, family, vulnerability, and the possibility of transformation after crisis. [David Lidd...Manuscript | Word]