Just for Today Podcast

James Alvarez shares the heartbreaking story of losing his pregnant wife to a drunk driver during a walk, yet their daughter miraculously survived after an emergency C-section. He opens up about single fatherhood, battling grief and postpartum challenges, and finding love again while expecting a son. Through raw vulnerability, James turns pain into purpose, emphasizing resilience, prayer, and living moment by moment.

Connect with James

► Instagram: @jameslalvarez

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

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Welcome back to the Just for Today podcast. After a four-month break from the studio, I’m checking in to share a much-needed life update.

This episode is a raw look at the challenges of the recent holiday season my third without Eric and the unexpected ways grief continues to show up as the kids get older. From Jackson starting sports and reaching the milestones Eric always dreamed of, to Riley beginning to ask the "hard questions" about her dad, we’re navigating new developmental stages of loss every day.

I also dive into the beautiful, messy reality of our blended family. While combining five different lives under one roof has been one of the hardest things I’ve done, seeing the bond grow between the kids especially during Jackson’s first night at our grief group reminds me why the effort is so rewarding.

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING

This conversation contains mature themes about death, grief, addiction, overdose, and trauma.

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this moving episode, Adriana is joined by Shay Martin, who shares the story of her late husband, Tanner. Shay opens up about their love story, his five-year battle with colon cancer, and their decision to have a child despite his terminal diagnosis. She speaks on the challenges of being a caregiver while pregnant, the bittersweet six weeks they had as a family, and navigating the profound grief of losing a partner while raising a newborn. Shay's story is a testament to the enduring power of love, the complexities of grief, and finding hope in the face of unimaginable loss

Connect with Shay

► Instagram: @tannerandshay

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this powerful episode, Lyndsey Hackford shares her candid story of surviving domestic abuse, her struggles growing up in a strict religious family, and her inspiring journey toward freedom and healing. With raw honesty, Lyndsey and Adriana Sansam dive into cycles of emotional and physical abuse, the challenges of leaving, and redefining self-worth beyond trauma. This conversation offers hope and clarity to anyone feeling trapped by their circumstances, with hard-won advice for those rebuilding their lives after abuse.

Connect with Lyndsey

► Instagram: @lyndseyh6723

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this deeply moving and raw episode of the Just for Today podcast, host Adriana Sansam sits down with Elaine, a mother who shares the heartbreaking story of losing her 27-year-old son, Joe, to an accidental fentanyl overdose.​

Elaine paints a vivid picture of Joe, a charismatic and loving young man with a "bursting personality" and a "vibrant smile," who was adored by his family and friends. She shares cherished memories that highlight who Joe was, emphasizing that his death was the tragic result of a single choice, not a life of addiction.​

The conversation explores the depths of a mother's grief as Elaine recounts the harrowing day she learned of her son's death, the gut-wrenching phone call from the coroner, and the "blur" of the days that followed. Adriana and Elaine connect on a profound level, sharing their parallel experiences with the shock of sudden loss, the struggle to get answers, and the complex emotions of guilt and regret that can linger for years.​

This episode is an intimate and powerful testament to a mother's enduring love and a crucial conversation about the real human impact of the fentanyl epidemic. Join us for an unforgettable story of love, loss, and the long road of grief.

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING

This conversation contains mature themes about death, grief, addiction, overdose, and trauma.

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a raw and unflinching conversation, Morgan sits down with Adriana to share her story of becoming a widow at 29. She recounts her "damn near perfect" marriage to Thomas, the terrifying 72-hour spiral from a simple flu diagnosis to an ICU goodbye, and the moment she had to find the words to explain the unimaginable to her young daughters. This episode is a powerful look at sudden loss, solo parenting, and the strength it takes to navigate the immediate aftermath of tragedy.

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sudden death and medical trauma. But it also contains hope, healing, and proof that love transcends death.

Connect with Morgan

► Instagram: @widowinbloom

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this raw and unflinching episode, Ally opens her heart about the devastating reality of loving addicts: first as a spouse to an alcoholic for 13 years, and then as a mother watching her teenage son spiral into marijuana addiction.

Ally's story begins at 13 when she met her future husband, believing she could control his drinking through sheer willpower and denial. What started as young adult partying evolved into a marriage filled with broken promises, DUIs, and the exhausting cycle of "I won't drink anymore" followed by inevitable relapses. When their son exhibited aggressive behavior, throwing knives and threatening violence over marijuana use, Ally faced an impossible choice: protect her other children or continue enabling her addicted child.

Through her nine-year journey in Al-Anon, Ally learned the hardest lesson of all: you cannot love someone out of addiction. She shares the moment she had to ask her own son to leave their home, the guilt of family members blaming her parenting, and the misunderstood reality that today's marijuana is not the same substance from decades past.

Ally's testimony reveals how marijuana addiction led her son into psychosis, stealing money, and rage episodes that terrorized their household. She discusses the challenge of setting boundaries with a child versus a spouse, the judgment from those who don't understand addiction as a disease, and finding peace through detachment with love.

Key moments include:

12:54 - The moment Ally's son admitted he didn't feel safe with his father

24:25 - When aggressive behavior escalated to threats and violence

28:37 - Discovering stolen pills and money, the final breaking point

43:19 - Learning to separate the disease from the person she loves

51:41 - How Al-Anon meetings provided life-saving community and tools

This episode is essential listening for anyone loving someone through addiction, offering hope that recovery, for both the addict and their family, is possible, even when it doesn't look like what you expected.

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Grief has a hierarchy that nobody talks about, and siblings are often left at the bottom. In this deeply emotional conversation, Adriana sits down with her friend Carina, who lost her 23-year-old brother Nick to heat exhaustion during an Arizona hike in June 2021. From childhood Taco Bell runs and Guitar Hero battles to the devastating phone call that changed everything, Carina opens up about the overlooked reality of sibling loss. Through raw honesty about family dynamics, the pressure to be "the strong one," and the unique bond shared only between siblings, this episode shines light on a type of grief that deserves recognition. Perfect for anyone who's ever felt invisible in their own pain, or who wants to understand the complex journey of losing not just a brother, but a lifeline.

Connect with Carina

► Instagram: @oxcarinaxo

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Anne Marie’s journey reveals the raw reality of battling addiction, depression, and trauma while finding the strength to rebuild her life. From growing up in a family affected by substance abuse to confronting her darkest moments and navigating toxic environments, she shares candid insights on resilience and hope. With 12 years of sobriety under her belt, Anne Marie’s story is a testament to courage, healing, and the ongoing fight to rise above the fallout of past pain. Listeners will find inspiration and solace in this honest conversation about overcoming adversity and embracing a new beginning.

Connect with Anne

► Instagram: @_day4590_

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this powerfully honest episode, Adriana's friend Teresa shares her story for the first time, walking us through the slow erosion of her 20-year marriage. What began as a partnership was shattered by a life-altering cancer diagnosis that, while beaten, unleashed a devastating spiral of addiction, depression, and psychological torment. Teresa recounts the lonely years spent trying to "fix" the man she loved, the chilling effect of prescription drugs, and the impossible weight of keeping her family together, until her daughter’s four simple words, "I don't feel safe," changed everything.

This is a story about the guilt of giving up, the strength it takes to leave, and the slow, difficult path toward healing from trauma. Teresa's journey from a toxic marriage to a new, unhealthy relationship and, finally, to a place of self-awareness and healing, is a testament to resilience and the courage to finally listen to your own inner voice.

Key Moments:

03:27 — The Cancer Diagnosis: A shocking turn that rocked their world.

08:37 — His Drug of Choice: How losing his identity as an adrenaline junkie fueled his despair.

11:01 — A Combination of Disaster: The dangerous mix of pain pills, Ambien, and alcohol.

13:12 — He Beat Cancer, But Broke His Back: The chemo aftermath and the start of a new pill dependency.

17:50 — "He Wasn't That Dad Anymore": The heartbreaking moment Teresa realized the man she married was gone.

21:10 — "I Don't Feel Safe Anymore": The words from her daughter that became the final straw.

23:21 — The Break-In: The terrifying incident that led to a restraining order.

26:13 — The Guilt of Leaving: Facing judgment from family and the struggle to let go.

32:26 — Jumping Into Another Bad Relationship: The trap of avoiding silence after trauma.

40:05 — When Therapy Goes Wrong: The challenge of finding the right therapist and medication.

59:08 — The Nine-Year Mistake: Teresa reveals she spent almost a decade in another toxic relationship after her marriage.

1:03:46 — Advice to Her Younger Self: What she wishes she had known.

Connect with Teresa

► Instagram: @love.t.c

Connect with Adriana

► TikTok: @justfortodaypodcast

► Instagram: @justfortodaypodcast

► YouTube: @justfortodaypodcast

This podcast was produced by Scufd Studio Pvt. Ltd. For permissions, inquiries, or collaboration, please contact [email protected]

Like and subscribe if this episode gave you chills, changed your perspective, or brought you comfort. Share your own spiritual experiences in the comments below.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.