Host Melissa Dabar interviews community member and musician Greg Wilson about his long involvement in prison ministry and the Kairos Ministry in Mississippi. Wilson shares how he felt called to serve inmates, beginning with visits to Parchman and then 12 years leading non-denominational services at the private Tutwiler prison, ministering to inmates from Hawaii and California and seeing many respond to faith, prayer, and love. He explains how Kairos differs through structured, small-group discipleship weekends in Holly Springs and ongoing “Prayer and Share” inmate-led services that have grown to about 90 attendees. The conversation also covers the importance of music in connecting with inmates, including a “Peanut Butter Jamboree” concert at Parchman featuring Bobby Rush and inmate Wolfe, as well as Wilson’s band Free Now, his upcoming CD, local songwriting events, and volunteer work with Heartland food pantry.

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This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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On American Fight Stories with Dabar, Dabar interviews prosecutor Steven Jubera, who previously handled her aggravated domestic assault case and helped her obtain donated bar review materials while she stayed in a shelter, contributing to her becoming a Mississippi lawyer. Jubera discusses empathizing with victims, defendants, and law enforcement; the “collateral damage” of addiction and crime; and advice he gave a fentanyl-addicted defendant (listen to his mother, return to church, and attend AA/NA). He explains what assistant district attorneys do, grand jury and felony processes, plea decisions, probation revocation, and the importance of accountability while avoiding re-victimization. He describes prosecuting child sexual abuse cases, the role of DeSoto County’s Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center, sex offender accountability, and his views on rare “evil.” Jubera also advocates for expanded intervention courts, including mental health and domestic violence courts, and shares that he is running for 3rd Circuit Court judge, highlighting his Marine service and community focus.

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This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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Host Melissa Dabar welcomes Cindy Steed to American Fight Stories to share her journey through abuse, devastating loss, addiction, and recovery. Cindy describes leaving an abusive relationship after her son Chad was injured, then losing Chad, her daughter-in-law Elizabeth, and their unborn baby in a fatal interstate accident, which led to depression, cut-off grief counseling, and 14 years of addiction. Through drug court, a 12-step program, sponsorship, and finding a personal relationship with God, she rebuilt her life and now has 15 years clean from drugs and nearly three years sober from alcohol. After later losing her daughter Jessica, Cindy became guardian to four grandchildren, credits service, honesty, gratitude lists, and support in AA, and discusses caring for her Air Force veteran father, Jerry Gaines, now on hospice.

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You can find the American Fight Stories Podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, TikTok, and Facebook

This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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On American Fight Stories with Dabar, host Dabar interviews Sybil Canon, a longtime admirer from Facebook, about her work and her “fight story.” Cannon shares that she recently became the Veteran Services Officer for Tate County, Mississippi, helping veterans access benefits and explaining the 2022 PACT Act, which presumes certain diagnosed conditions are service-connected for veterans of conflicts, including Vietnam and the Middle East, and can also aid surviving spouses. She honors her brother David Lee Reynolds, a Marine Vietnam veteran exposed to Agent Orange who later died of cancer, and recounts assisting a widow in properly displaying her Korean War veteran husband’s medals. Cannon also discusses her faith journey, family hardships in Iuka, Mississippi, her fundraising and scholarship work, her heart attack and recovery, and the importance of voting and supporting America and its veterans.

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You can find the American Fight Stories Podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, TikTok, and Facebook

This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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Melissa Dabar interviews assistant district attorney Gordon Shaw, a husband and father, about his path into prosecution in Horn Lake around 2012 and the influence of chief prosecutor Byron Mobley and mentor Judge Gerald Chatham on being tough but fair. Shaw shares his rural Georgia upbringing, love of the outdoors, coaching DeSoto County 4-H archery, and pride in his twin daughters nearing college graduation and his 13-year-old son. The conversation centers on faith, service, and accountability in criminal justice, including addiction cases, the impact of absent fathers, and balancing justice with mercy. Shaw recounts a fentanyl-laced “Xanax” overdose case in Olive Branch and discusses fentanyl trafficking, crime lab delays, and DeSoto County’s drug court success. He explains how prayer led him to declare for an open circuit court judge seat and closes with a prayer for justice and public servants.

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This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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In this episode of American Fight Stories with Debar, Melissa interviews Robert Long, a longtime Mississippi journalist who is now the curator for the DeSoto County Museum and pastors New Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in Horn Lake while finishing seminary school. Robert shares how storytelling, advocacy, and encouragement shaped his life, including his mother’s influence and his commitment to being fair in journalism. He explains the museum’s mission, free admission, outreach to schools, artifact preservation, upcoming plans, and a public meeting, and new digital access via desotomuseum.org. Robert also recounts local and regional history, including Hernando de Soto’s 1541 conflict with the Chickasaw, voting history in DeSoto County, and a story about his grandfather confronting the Klan. The episode closes with a prayer for America.

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This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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Dernetta Newton: Growing Up in Domestic Violence Shelters, Breaking the Cycle & Finding Home

On American Fight Stories with Dabar, Melissa interviews Dernetta Newton, a realtor and House of Grace board member, about her childhood experience witnessing her mother’s domestic violence and living in multiple shelters. Dernetta shares moving from Colorado to Arkansas and Oklahoma, learning to survive shelter life, keeping her location secret, and feeling responsible to protect her mother during years of abuse that included threats with a gun and injuries that later caused her mother’s seizures. She describes how these experiences shaped her conflict response, her determination to stop generational violence, and how she left an abusive relationship as a young mother to keep her own daughter safe. The episode also highlights Dernetta’s work helping people in transition find stable housing and closes with a prayer for her nephews’ return and for others affected by domestic violence.

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Host Melissa Dabar interviews Johnathon Bigham, administrator and trainer for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, and volunteer Zach Diaz, a lineman, Marine, and swift water technician. They describe the team’s 34 members, ground searchers, new NASAR trailing-certified canines, and training and technology such as GPS, drones, and Blackwater diving. The centerpiece story recounts a post-Christmas night rescue at a drained lake where a hypothermic man was stuck in “blue mud” in negative wind chill; Diaz crawled and swam through mud and water, used backboards for buoyancy, harnessed the victim, and the team pulled them back to safety as the victim’s core temperature was 84 degrees. They discuss grants for equipment, increased fitness requirements and swim training, cadet development, community service, and a St. Jude Memphis Marathon fundraiser, ending with a prayer.

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#SearchAndRescue
#RealLifeHeroes
#FirstResponders
#RescueMission
#HeroicRescue
#LifeSaving
#EmergencyResponse
#SurvivalStory
#Bravery
#LineOfDuty

American Fight Stories with Dabar invites Richard and Anita Parvin on to share their 43-year marriage fight and why marriage is a covenant with God, not just a contract. They recount meeting at a skating rink, building a family, and enduring decades of conflict, repeated forgiveness, and unresolved trauma rooted in Richard’s abusive childhood. In 2021–2022, Anita said she was done, filed for divorce, and moved into a camper, while both sought God amid bitterness, triggers, and spiritual warfare; Melissa refused to support the divorce because she had prayed for their marriage. Through church, sermons on bitterness, prayer, repentance, counseling conversations, and an intense process of reading Anita’s notebook of hurts line by line, Richard changed, and reconciliation followed, including remarriage and ongoing daily maintenance. They encourage struggling couples to pray together, stay in the Word, forgive, seek forgiveness, choose words carefully, and stay in church.

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You can find the American Fight Stories Podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, TikTok, and Facebook

This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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On American Fight Stories with Dabar, Aubrey Johnson and her husband Shawn share how humor and loyalty have shaped their 13-year marriage, Aubrey’s southern-mama perspective, and her salon “Hey Girl,” where she hears constant community “tea.” Aubrey describes her biggest fights as raising two boys—especially helping her oldest graduate—and battling a public school system that she says let struggling kids slip through the cracks, including confronting a teacher after a grading incident. She discusses her rapid social media growth (about 70,000 followers across TikTok and Facebook) and the responsibility and safety concerns that come with being an advocate, including fielding requests like a DUI charge dispute despite no alcohol found. The conversation touches on fearlessness, beauty as self-expression, pressures on young girls, and encouraging women not to settle, before closing with prayer.

Please email us your questions at [email protected]

You can find the American Fight Stories Podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, TikTok, and Facebook

This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC

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