In this heartfelt episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel is joined by author and advocate Jenny Brandemuehl and Phoenix Society's Senior Director of Programs and Services, Jill Sproul. Jenny shares her deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience after the tragic plane crash and burn injury that claimed her husband Mark's life. 💛 Together, they explore the moments that reshaped Jenny's path, her upcoming memoir Forever Fly Free, and how she continues to find healing and purpose. Jill offers insight from her decades in burn care, sharing guidance for both survivors and the professionals who support them.
This episode is a moving reminder of the strength found in community, the courage to tell your story, and the power of hope in the face of life's most difficult chapters.
📚 Get Jenny's book, Forever Fly Free, at: foreverflyfree.com/category/all-products.
Use code "PSBS" for 10% off orders placed before October 14, 2025, with the link above.
#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories #Author #ForeverFlyFree
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Meet Our Guest
Jenny Brandemuehl is the author of Forever Fly Free: One Woman’s Story of Resilience and the Power of Hope and Love, coming October 2025 from Regalo Press. She’s an advocate for families who have lost a loved one to traumatic accidents and speaks widely on personal resilience, grief, and healing. She’ll be a featured speaker at the 2025 Phoenix World Burn Congress (WBC) hosted by Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.
Jenny describes herself as an “ordinary person who had an extraordinary experience.” After the sudden death of her husband Mark following a small engine plane crash and severe burn injuries, she found herself transformed by the compassion of the burn care team and the unexpected power of hope. Her journey through loss and healing has led her into a new chapter as a writer and speaker, with a mission to inspire others to access their own inner strength and wisdom.
Before becoming an author, Jenny spent decades as a corporate leader, most recently as Chief People Officer at Chegg, Inc., where her team helped earn the company a spot on Fortune’s Top 100 Best Places to Work. She’s held leadership roles at JDS Uniphase, Gap Inc., and Hewlett Packard, and served on the Wellesley College Business Leadership Board and the board of Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment (WISE), which empowers low-income women to become entrepreneurs.
Jenny is an avid skier, hiker, and tree-hugger. She lives with her partner Robert, who keeps her laughing daily, and adores her two sons, who share her love of travel, food, and music.
Links
👉 Get Jenny’s book, Forever Fly Free, at: https://www.foreverflyfree.com/category/all-products **Use code “PSBS” for 10% off for orders placed before October 14, 2025, with the link above**
👉 Order Jenny’s book from Amazon: https://a.co/d/iW9Db3C
👉 Order Jenny’s book from Target: https://www.target.com/p/forever-fly-free-by-jenny-brandemuehl-hardcover/-/A-1003087061#lnk=sametab
👉 Order Jenny’s book from Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-fly-free-jenny-brandemuehl/1147370213?ean=9798895650301
👉 Follow Jenny’s Substack: https://jennybrandemuehl.substack.com
👉 Learn more and register for Phoenix World Burn Congress 2025: https://events.phoenix-society.org/event/PWBC2025/summary
Podcast Sponsor
Today’s podcast is powered by the Bert Martin Foundation! The Bert Martin Foundation was established to assist those who help others and provide financial support for nonprofit organizations. We’re honored to have the Bert Martin Foundation as a long-standing Phoenix Society Partner.
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at [email protected].
